Sunrise
by genuinemermaid
Summary: Collection of oneshots featuring Artemis and Apollo brother/sister fluff. Chapter 34: Competition. / "Your dedication to the Hunt has led me to believe that you deserve a...'day off,' but, considering what you would have to subject yourself to..."
1. Sunrise

**A/N: Why, hello! So, I came up with this one-shot idea because it seemed like there was a more "real" side to all of the gods and goddesses. If so, Artemis and Apollo **_**had **_**to have gotten along sometime, though they bickered like true siblings would. (Trust me, I know...I have a brother!) **

**I tried my hardest to avoid OOCness, but since there wasn't a single bloody meaningful moment between Apollo and Artemis in the series, I wasn't sure how they'd act in a situation such as this. I basically based it off of their personalities, so hopefully it isn't too awful. Meh.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO.**

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_~sunrise~_

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The moon was glowing vibrantly in the pre-morning sky, surrounded by sparkling bright stars. Artemis smiled up at her work, brushing her auburn hair out of her face. She glanced behind her to where her huntresses were resting quietly, not even tossing or turning on their makeshift beds. She sighed, propping herself up against a tree. Who would have ever thought that a goddess could be deprived of sleep? Certainly not Artemis, and it seemed fair to say that Athena couldn't have guessed. But Artemis was wide awake, unable to take part in the peace that her hunters were rejoicing in.

Artemis fingered her headband, trying to find something, anything, that could take her mind off of her tiredness. So far, nothing had been working...not that she was surprised.

There was a rustle somewhere behind her. Anyone else would have flinched, or at least wondered if there was danger. But somehow, Artemis knew who was approaching her. In a cloud of moon dust she changed from a twelve-year old girl to a seventeen-year-old one (she refused to give her visitor the pleasure of calling her 'little sister'), and turned to face her visitor.

"Brother," she murmured softly. Apollo smiled, his bright smile illuminating the dark almost better than the moon could. He removed his Ray-Bans.

"Hey, sis," he greeted her. He approached her and looked up in the same direction that she had been-at the sky, the star-speckled sky. "Why are you still up?" She shook her head.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I'm tired enough, but for some reason sleep won't come to me. Something's keeping me up." She paused. "Is that why you came? Because I was restless?" He nodded. "How'd you know?" He grinned.

"You think I don't know when my baby sister's troubled?" he asked. Artemis crossed her arms.

"I am most definitely _not_ your-"

"My baby sister; I know," he interrupted her. He chuckled. "But you're _like _a baby sister. I mean, not only are you most always in your preteen form, but..." Artemis eyed him tauntingly.

"But?" she urged jokingly. Apollo winked.

"But there's that protectiveness there," he said, serious for once in his godly existence.

"Protectiveness," she repeated. "What do you mean?" Apollo fumbled with his sunglasses, searching for the right words.

"As in, a big brother will always be there for his little sister-regardless." Artemis smiled.

"Well, I don't think I've heard that in a couple centuries," she replied. Apollo nudged her with his arm, and she nudged back. After they shared a laugh, there was a moment of sweet silence.

Apollo opened his arms, inviting Artemis in. She hugged him back, and he sighed.

"Too bad you're all into this maidenhood business," he said. "You could really have found love out there." Artemis rolled her eyes. _Love, schmove. _It was overwhelmingly annoying (Aphrodite badgered her with it often enough; she didn't need her brother joining in on the fun), but she played along, trying not to mar the moment.

"Do you suppose so?" she inquired. Apollo released her from the hug, but kept his arm around her.

"If you really wanted it," he answered. He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No, no. No ungrateful imbecile could ever be worthy of my sister." Artemis could've sworn she felt a crimson blush spread on her face. Now she needed something to distract her, not from her lack of sleep, but from the flattery Apollo was using on her. She snapped her head quickly to the right and noted something resentfully.

"The sun's coming out," Artemis said accusingly. "That's not fair, Apollo-you _know _we had an agreement!" She pulled away and glared at him.

"So what?" he argued. "It was about time I brightened things up. Good morning, by the way."

"It's only six! Do you not understand the whole 'daylight saving time' thing?" she said pointedly. "I have half an hour or _more _left."

"I wanted to start the day early, so you could get closer to your _beautiful _hunters!"

"We're obviously close enough without your help," Artemis muttered. "And you aren't to flirt with them."

"Oh, come on, sis!" he complained. "You never let them have any fun." Artemis ignored that comment.

"I _swear_! You are so thick sometimes!"

"_Thick_," Apollo echoed. "That's so true, isn't it? As much as we may bicker, I do love how you have just the right words to describe me."

"I'm glad you're satisfied with your label," she provoked. "Now leave!"

"But if I leave now, you can't hear my poem..."

"Oh no, Apollo!" Artemis growled. "I don't want to hear your lousy excuse for a haiku."

"Not a haiku," he corrected. "A senryu." He cleared his throat.

"Don't even!" she threatened.

Thalia groaned as she stretched, rising unwillingly from her slumber. She tossed one of her shoes at Apollo, dodging Artemis out of respect for the goddess. Anything to shut them up. Apollo caught the sandal with ease and sighed.

"I'll get you for that someday," he promised.

Well, it was nice while it lasted.

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**End Note:**

**Well, the important thing is I tried, right? ;)**

**Anyway, reviews are much appreciated. CC would be great...and what the heck, flames are welcome! :)**


	2. Bounce Back

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**A/N: So I have decided to answer your pleas and continue it. ;) This takes place during 'The Titan's Curse', book three, when Artemis is "missing", and it's basically how Apollo felt about the subject. Warning: there's language in this one.**

**I don't like it that much, but I'd been toying around with the idea forever before I actually sat down and started writing, so I figured that it shouldn't be put to waste. I don't own PJO.  
**

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_~bounce back~

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_

Since his twin Artemis had gone missing, there had been something different about Lord Apollo. Everyone he knew noticed it, but he couldn't help it. The disappearance of his twin had changed him drastically. Upon entrance, he usually brightened a room (no pun intended), and now when he passed someone by, it decreased their happiness by so much that they felt as if they _were _in Apollo's situation, devoid of all but two emotions; confusion and sadness. His blinding white smiles were now limited, his laidback teasing and joking a thing of the past. Against all odds, he had sunken into a state of melancholy that he simply could not find his way out of. One might ask why this was - and one might receive this answer.

She was his twin, and though she may have been born first, it was hard not to call her 'little sister' when she was most always in the form of a preteen. Regardless, he _wanted _to be the older sibling. He always wanted to protect her and he never wanted to see her hurt and any jackass that tried to injure her - in _any _way - was going to experience hell, courtesy of Apollo and perhaps a few other helpers.

He didn't like it that she was shielded from him. He needed to know that she was safe, unharmed...and right now, he didn't know that. It scared him. He felt ashamed just thinking it, but it scared him, because anything could be happening to her right now, and he couldn't do anything about it - because without a doubt, if there was anything he could do, he would do it without hesitation. Oh, the things he would do for her.

He didn't know where Artemis was, and he didn't know if she would find her way out...alive, for lack of a better term. Being a god, you would think he'd be able to just make it all go away. That was technically what they were credited with, right? Being able to solve their problems instantaneously. Well, the truth was that he couldn't do anything, and he didn't know anything, and it hurt. He couldn't help but wonder if his sister would make it back to Olympus safe, and if she did, if she would ever be okay again. Could she still hunt? Would she fear the hunt, because it provoked the thought of getting kidnapped again? Would she be forever fearful?

Apollo knew that Artemis was stronger than he gave her credit for. He hated the very fact that he had even doubted her ability to bounce back - to rise again after falling, the ultimate sign of true bravery. The truth of the matter was that _he _wasn't sure how quickly he'd rise again. He knew that his sweet baby sister would be fine in the end, and that the only thing he should truly worry about was the fact that he might not be able to stand the fact that he had come close to losing Artemis. The pain he was experiencing now was nearly indescribable, and surely it would take quite some time for him to feel at peace. However, Apollo found that he was arguing with himself yet again. One side of his brain - the one overrun with emotions, sending him messages that weren't easily decodable and that were completely incoherent - told him that this experience and all of the drama that came with it would haunt him forever, and he would never be his perky, seemingly arrogant self again. Another part of his brain, perhaps the more logical side, argued that he was worried for Artemis, and that if Artemis returned safely, he would overcome this, and he would be able to bounce back.

He really did hate this, after all. He hated not being able to laugh at the expression on her face after being called 'baby sister,' and he hated not being scolded for flirting with her huntresses or interrupting her hunt. Right now, all he truthfully wanted was to be near her, and to comfort her - if she needed it. After all, she was the one that was going to let this go so easily, right? Apollo would be the one who foolishly kept worrying, and Artemis might become annoyed with him (like always) when he hovered around her protectively and refused to leave her by herself.

Now, as Apollo sat in a clearing in the forest, a spot where Artemis used to stop because it cleared her thoughts and had a peaceful aura, he _smiled. _He actually smiled. It was a small and brief smile, and only because he was amused by one thought that crossed his mind: out of the two twins, the one who was least likely to break down and cry was the one who was on the verge of it right now.

No, no, _no, _gods damn it! He wasn't going to cry. He rarely cried - _don't ask_ - and he wasn't about to start bawling because...because...

He gritted his teeth, clenching and unclenching his fists. He was acting like a child (oh, the various times he'd been told that). He couldn't sit around and sulk all of the time when he could be _doing _something, helping somehow. It was absolutely impossible that there was no way he could help. There _was _some way, and he knew it. He would find that way, and he would ensure her safety.

Of course, Zeus simply wouldn't allow godly intervention during human quests. It angered Apollo. He had never had an aversion toward the rule, until now. He was trying desperately to help his sister, or more believably, _himself_, and the rule only got in the way of that. He didn't know what to do, but he knew that he needed to do something, quickly.

He might not have been able to sense where Artemis was, but she hoped that she could sense that he missed her. He wasn't sure how that would unfold, of course - she was no god of prophecy, and no matter how hard she tried, Apollo was pretty positive she'd never accomplish that - but there was always the cheesy excuse of twin telepathy. And love. Love, too.

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**End Note: Well, if that wasn't the cheesiest ending in the world... (:  
Reviews help me not be so suckish! **


	3. Practice Makes Perfect

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**A/N: Before reading, please note that this one isn't entirely about Artemis and Apollo, but it's there. Thalia's in it too, which I'm happy about because next to Annabeth she's my favorite (demigod) character :) And since last chapter was Apollo-centric, I did the opposite with this one.**

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__

~practice makes perfect~

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The monster was approaching rapidly, and there was nothing that Artemis could do but ready her bow and take careful aim at her target. She squinted her eyes and imagined the bow soaring through the air and piercing the beast's side. She smirked slightly as she remembered a young Apollo teaching her archery; she remembered her intense and firm interest, her silver eyes gleaming as he carefully handed her the bow that changed her life. She snapped out of her reverie to release the arrow, and smile proudly as it hit its target easily. It wasn't exactly the perfectly arched, gracefully launched shot she had been hoping for, but seeing as the beast was moaning like a tortured prisoner and flinching in pain after it had fallen to the ground in agony, Artemis simply couldn't protest. She turned to Thalia, who was watching with awe at the goddess's right side. Thalia turned to gaze admiringly upon her mistress.

"Milady, that...was perfect," she stammered, flushing slightly as she fumbled with her own bow. Artemis sighed.

"Not quite, my dear huntress," she argued. "But I accept your compliment with gratitude. If you wish to see true archery-" Artemis stopped herself before she blurted out what had been floating around in her mind aimlessly. Thalia cocked her head to the side.

"Yes, milady?" Thalia encouraged, her eyes widening eagerly. Artemis bit her lip and shook her head, not willing to simply compliment Apollo out in the open. Sure, she loved her twin, and he didn't annoy her all of the time, but this was unknown to the huntresses. And besides the fact that the Hunters of Artemis wouldn't know what to think upon discovering this, there was also the fact that the compliment would do wonders for his pride. Artemis knew she couldn't let that happen. He was already arrogant enough.

"I was simply going to suggest that it takes practice," the goddess lied smoothly, smiling endearingly at her lieutenant. Thalia's electrifying blue eyes appeared tired after being given this answer, as if she had been hoping for more and the simple phrase that was used worldwide by parents, teachers, and peers alike didn't satisfy her - it simply exasperated her.

"Oh," was all Thalia said in response. Artemis raised an eyebrow at Thalia's unhappy tone.

"Is something amiss?" she asked curiously, though she knew Thalia's probable answer already. Thalia wasn't predictable, she was simply stubborn sometimes, and Artemis knew before she conjured up the lie that Thalia wouldn't be too quick to believe it.

"Nothing's amiss, Lady Artemis...it's just that I thought you would provide me with a direct example." Thalia's expression suggested innocence as she replied to goddess's question. Artemis pondered for a moment. A 'direct example'? That couldn't be too difficult. Besides, if she just swerved from the subject of Apollo, Thalia would never guess.

"Ah, let's see," Artemis thought aloud. "Well, take me for example. When I first tried my hand at archery, I was good, but a little shaky, and with a little guidance, I eventually became very gifted." Thalia's lips were pressed together in a thin, firm line that was being tugged upwards at the corners as she tried to hold back laughter.

"And, Lady Artemis, to whom would you show gratitude for guiding you in the right direction?" Thalia prompted. Artemis tensed.

"Well," she began, "many people. Your mood affects your performance, as surely you should know, and-" Thalia raised an eyebrow in a way that said, 'Just don't lie anymore; I know the answer already.' Artemis eventually sighed.

"Well, if I had to credit anyone with that, it would be..." She grimaced. "It would be my brother, Apollo. I learned it all from him." Artemis was still grimacing and muttering under her breath when Thalia chuckled slightly and looked off into the distance.

"Don't be ashamed, Lady Artemis," Thalia pleaded. "I honor you no matter what the circumstances. If you learned from your idiot of a brother," she paused, and both smirked at this, "all I have to say is, 'It's a good thing she learned at all.'" Artemis smirked.

"Meanwhile, you still have quite a bit of learning to do yourself," Artemis reminded her, and Thalia's expression fell.

"Does that mean I haven't improved?" she asked worriedly. Artemis shook her head.

"I said nothing of that," she insisted. "I merely hinted that you require a bit more practice. You don't always hold the bow steady - that could be a bad sign, you never know." Thalia tried to hide her disappointment with a neutral expression.

"And, how much practice would you say I need, exactly?" she inquired. Artemis thought for a moment.

"Well, you might not be able to do it on your own," she decided. "Not that I'm doubting you, my lieutenant - it's simply that you could use some guidance." Thalia frowned.

"Oh," she murmured. Suddenly, her expression became smug. "I guess if I need that much guidance that I should probably look to Apollo, because-"

"No!" Artemis protested. "Who needs Apollo? I'd be a fine teacher! And anyway, he's incredibly immature. He'd probably get sidetracked - flirting with you. Ugh, he just disgusts me at times. Imagine, him having the nerve to flirt with my hunters, even though they swore to eternal maidenhood! I can't believe that after all the warnings I've given him, he still refuses to refrain from hitting on you girls. It's despicable. No, worse, it's unspeakable, and I refuse to-"

Thalia sighed as Artemis continued her angry rant, pausing every now and then to take a breath, fume silently, and then resume. It didn't seem to Thalia that Artemis would ever take a real break. She absentmindedly agreed with a few of Artemis' unkind remarks regarding her twin, and when Artemis finally realized that Thalia wasn't paying full attention, she gave her the most frightening glare that Thalia had ever encountered - oh, and she'd seen a lot of glares, usually in response to her dry humor and careless, sarcastic attitude.

Thalia wondered if her archery would ever appear as flawless as Artemis'...or better yet, if her glare would ever match in intensity. Well, practice makes perfect.


	4. Temples

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**A/N: The first part of the story consists mainly of Thalia and Annabeth bickering about whose temple should be larger - Artemis' or Apollo's. But I promise Apollo and Artemis are _both _in it! I don't own PJO (I don't get disclaimers; it's FanFiction. Of COURSE you don't own anything!).  
**

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_~ temples ~

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_

Annabeth sighed as she looked over her blueprints for Olympus again. With five temples down and seven to go, she had a lot of work to do. She'd already completed the temples of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Athena, and Ares, which meant that all she had left to complete were the temples for Apollo, Hestia, Hermes, Artemis, Dionysus, Hera, and Hephaestus. She rubbed her eyes tiredly before starting on plans for the seven remaining projects. She leaned forward and studied her blueprints more closely.

"Thalia, not to sound rude, but why are you here?" Annabeth inquired. She hoped her outburst hadn't attracted too much attention; her boarding school didn't allow visitors this late at night, and if they came here to find Thalia, there would be consequences that Annabeth didn't feel like facing. Plus, Annabeth's roommate had decided to sneak out, and she wouldn't be too happy if she knew that Annabeth had blown her cover.

Thalia cleared a spot on Annabeth's cluttered desk, moving aside a few stacks of paper and two broken pencils, and perched there.

"Is there a problem with my being here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Yes, actually," Annabeth insisted. "I'm not supposed to have visitors. I'd rather not be expelled for breaking such a stupid rule." She pursed her lips. Thalia gaped incredulously.

"You could be expelled for this shit?" she asked. "Isn't that a little harsh?" Annabeth threw her hands in the air exasperatedly.

"Isn't this New York?"

Thalia laughed and grabbed at Annabeth's plans. Annabeth opened her mouth to protest, but Thalia held up a finger to silence her. She squinted as she looked through all the plans.

"You haven't started on the temple for Artemis yet," she noted grudgingly. Annabeth sighed and yanked the blueprints out of Thalia's hands.

"I know," she said. "I was about to before you broke into my dorm room." Thalia winked.

"Anyway, you need to make Artemis' bigger than Apollo's," she told Annabeth. Annabeth looked up at her, confused.

"What?" she asked.

"I said, Artemis' temple needs to be bigger than Apollo's," she repeated. Annabeth furrowed her brows and shook her head.

"I can't make one god's temple bigger or better than another's," she explained. "Especially when it comes to Apollo and Artemis. They bicker like no others."

"But Artemis deserves a bigger temple," Thalia urged. Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"I can't pick favorites, Thalia," she said. "It would only cause problems - and I don't want to be at fault for a war between siblings." Thalia grinned.

"You wouldn't be causing it; simply continuing it," she explained. She nudged Annabeth with her elbow playfully. "C'mon, you don't have to make it really noticeable. Maybe like, half an inch taller, or something?" Annabeth maintained her determined expression. When she turned to face her friend, Thalia was looking at her with big, round blue eyes and her lips were set into a stubborn pout; she was trying to portray innocence. Yet, for whatever reason, Annabeth found it hard to see innocence there when Thalia's eyes were ringed with black like a raccoon's. She stifled a laugh and made a mental note to never, ever say that aloud. "No," she muttered. Thalia frowned.

"You're no fun," she growled.

"So I've been told," Annabeth replied carelessly. "Pass me my pencil sharpener." Thalia tossed her the tool, sticking her tongue out childishly. Annabeth caught it tactfully.

"Well, I'd better be going," Thalia sighed. She pointed at Annabeth, as if warning her of something. "Remember what I said."

As Thalia dropped out the window (which any normal person would be bothered by), Annabeth set to work on the temple for Artemis. Surprisingly, she did think of Thalia's conversation with herself, and made a quick decision before she could change her mind.

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The day came that Olympus was being unveiled - in the sense that no one but Annabeth Chase and the gods themselves had seen it - and Annabeth was smiling triumphantly up at Apollo's temple, with Percy stifling laughter on her left and Thalia gaping at the temple on her right.

"What is this?" Thalia demanded, waving an angry finger at the temple. "Is this some kind of joke?" Annabeth cocked her head to the right.

"Nah, I don't think so," she replied with a grin. "I mean, considering that it took forever and a decade."

"And half of our date last weekend," Percy muttered. Annabeth flashed him an apologetic glance and looked back to Thalia smugly. She watched as Thalia's expression changed from angry, to shocked, to confused, and then, finally, triumphant.

"Well, this isn't my problem," she insisted. "Just wait until Artemis notes the size difference between the two temples, and then see who's laughing." Annabeth's eyes, which had previously been narrowed, widened until her face was a mask of horror. She hadn't thought of that. Thalia noticed her expression and chuckled. "Well, great," Percy said sarcastically. "I have to save her life again. Thanks, Thals. How am I supposed to convince Artemis to spare Annabeth? 'Lady Artemis, I know this is kind of, um, disappointing, but please don't incinerate my girlfriend!'" He rolled his eyes.

"Well, you'd better think fast," Thalia replied. "Here she comes." Lady Artemis approached with a smile.

"Hello, Thalia," she greeted her lieutenant. She leaned over Thalia's shoulder. "Perseus, Annabeth." Thalia smiled menacingly at Annabeth and then turned to Artemis.

"Milady, did you see your temple?" she asked. Annabeth paled.

"Yes, of course," Artemis replied. She smiled at Annabeth. "It's very nice." Annabeth was frozen. Percy squeezed her hand encouragingly, and she swallowed.

"Um...thank you," she said shakily. "It is I that should be thanking you," Artemis responded. Thalia pursed her lips.

"Well, have you seen your brother's?" she insisted, pointing at Apollo's temple. Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I have," she replied slowly. "How could I not have? The thing is huge - it's almost as big as his head. Thalia, you're acting rather strange. Is anything wrong?" Thalia was fuming. She glanced at Annabeth, irritated, and then back to Artemis pleadingly.

"But it's bigger than yours!" she reminded her. Artemis nodded.

"Quite obviously," she said, and her tone questioned Thalia's sanity.

"But...doesn't that anger you?" Thalia insisted. A look of realization came over Artemis' features.

"Thalia, do you honestly think that I am as arrogant as Apollo simply because he's my brother?" she laughed. Thalia opened her mouth to speak again, but thought better of it when she noticed Apollo approaching, his usual cocky grin applied to his face.

"Hello, sister dear!" he greeted. "And Thalia, her loyal lieutenant. Oh! And Percy and Annabeth...and you're all crowded around my temple." He paused for a moment before breaking out into a wide smile. "I knew this day would come! Go on, continue your worship. I'll wait!" The three half-bloods coughed as Artemis rolled her eyes.

"We weren't worshipping your pigheadedness," she insisted. "I came over to tell Thalia that we'll be leaving in a few."

"Ah, I see," Apollo replied. "Right after you're finished worshiping moi." Artemis rolled her eyes.

"In your psychotic dreams," she spat. She turned to Thalia. "Well, I suppose we'll be taking our leave now." Thalia blinked.

"But...your temple - I mean, Apollo's...and Annabeth said...the..." She sighed. Artemis nodded and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be alright," she assured her lieutenant, and she thanked Annabeth once more for the temple before saying goodbye to the three of them and retreating with Thalia to retrieve the other hunters.

"So, Annabeth," Apollo started, gazing at his temple.

"Yes, Lord Apollo?"

"You know that statue of my in the center of my temple?"

"Of course, Lord Apollo."

Apollo pursed his lips. "It doesn't do me justice," he complained. "I look so...rigid." Annabeth blinked.

"But, Lord Apollo, it's a stone statue," she replied. Apollo looked bored.

"Yes, and?"

"...stone is pretty rigid."

"But Apollo's not," he countered. "Fix it. Make it embrace my hotness." He winked and made to teleport. The two half-bloods diverted their eyes as he did so. When they looked up, Apollo was gone, and Annabeth was gritting her teeth.

"You okay there?" Percy asked. Annabeth nodded.

"I've just got to find some way to 'embrace the hotness' of Apollo's statue," she muttered, mocking his arrogant tone. "How do you add hotness to a statue?" After a moment, her eyes gleamed like they did when she had an idea. "Hey Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you be interested in helping me to burn Apollo's statue, per chance?"


	5. Author's Note

**Author's Note:**

**I am unimaginably sorry for the incredibly long wait I have forced you guys to endure. I have a lot going on right now (my aunt has ovarian cancer, my great-great-aunt has lung cancer, and my great-aunt ripped her colon; that means a lot of trips to the hospital). I promise that whenever I have the time, I will update.**

**Starting Friday, **_**expect **_**no updates for about a week. I'm visiting family in North Carolina, and I'd rather not be writing when I could be at the beach :) **

**I hope I'm not pushing it. I've had a lot on my mind!**

**~Chelsea**


	6. Make A Wish

**********A/N: So, I've decided to update before my vacation. I don't know if this one will appeal to anyone, since I've not only had a bunch happening all at once, but I've also had **_**super **_**writer's block.**

**********Disclaimer: I don't own PJO - the characters nor the concept. Hello? This is fan fiction people!**

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**_~ make a wish ~_**

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It was just morning, and Artemis was stirring inside her silver tent, the chill of the early morning only ever-so-slightly affecting her. She saw the light growing outside of her tent, transforming from a subtle glow into a brilliant shine, and smirked as she imagined her brother _actually _waking up on time. She rolled her eyes and hoisted herself up off of the cushion that she had been sitting on, weaving her way through the many tents in the area, listening to the sound of her hunters peacefully dreaming.

She took a deep breath as she reached the outskirt of the meadow that she and the Huntresses had set up camp in. There was a narrow and barely noticeable path a few feet over that connected the meadow they were currently in to a slightly smaller area with damp grass and sodden soil.

And it had been a beautiful sight, with flowers sprouting up here and there, until Apollo had thought to park his chariot here, scorching the grass surrounding it and snapping a few innocent flower heads right off of their burnt stems. Artemis' eyes widened as she took in the sight, and she raised an eyebrow questioningly as her brother honked.

"Happy birthday!" he called enthusiastically. Artemis blinked.

"What?" she demanded. Apollo grinned stupidly.

"I said 'happy birthday'," he repeated. "Have you gone deaf?" Artemis shook her head insistently as Apollo alighted the sports car, sliding his sunglasses in place on the collar of his shirt.

"Apollo, we're _gods_," she argued. "We don't really have birthdays."

"How do you know?" he argued childishly. "Anyways, I'm going to celebrate it. I got you a gift!" He was bouncing up and down, rocking back and forth on his feet like and excited six-year-old. He retrieved a small book from the passenger side of the Maserati and presented it to his sister proudly. It was a navy blue book, and written in silver on the front was, _'Poems for Artemis (by her amazing twin Apollo)'_. It took all of the strength that Artemis had to keep from groaning.

"Um," was all she managed. Apollo waved his hands around frantically, impatiently.

"Well, go on then!" he said. "Read it."

_No, I'm good_, she wanted to say, but his big blue eyes were pleading and Artemis finally gave in, giving a submissive sigh and opening the book. The pages were thick and white, and were written on in gold ink. There was page after page of poems (haikus, most often). The first read:

_This is a cool book  
Because Apollo wrote it  
Be very jealous_

Another read:

_I love my sister  
Artemis is (sort of) cool  
But sometimes she's mean_

Artemis wanted to point out how horrible these were, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. So instead, she looked up with a pained expression, faked a smile, and said, "Thank you, brother." Apollo smiled.

"No problem," he replied. "Flip to the last page." Artemis did as she was instructed to and found:

_Happy Birthday sis  
I hope you like these poems  
Now where is my gift?_

Artemis quirked an eyebrow. "You were born nine entire days after me. What do you mean, 'Where is my gift?'" Apollo frowned.

"Is that just an excuse to cover up for the fact that you didn't get me anything?" he insisted. Artemis clenched the fist that wasn't holding Apollo's haiku book.

"Nine days from now, I will give you your gift, Apollo," she said, slowly and calmly. Apollo shook his head.

"That's too long," he argued. "I'll give you three."

"Days?"

"Hours."

_"What?" _Artemis hissed. "Listen, brother, this conversation is beginning to irritate me tremendously. When it is your _birthday_, I will give you your birthday gift."

"I thought gods didn't have birthdays?" Apollo prompted.

"Oh, right!" Artemis snapped. "I guess they don't. Take your stupid book back, then." She threw the book, and it hit Apollo right in the middle of his chest. He snatched it before it fell to the ground.

"You didn't like it?" Apollo murmured, hurt. He looked up at her with a hurt expression, and big, sad eyes.

"Apollo, stop faking it and go away," she growled. Apollo smirked.

"You're just jealous that I'm such a great poet," he argued. "You have to take your birthday gift, whether you're going to give me one or not."

"Does that mean that I have an option?"

"Of course not."

Artemis groaned. "Just give me the book and revisit in nine days," she insisted. "Is that too hard? Do I need to speak more slowly?" Apollo rolled his eyes before replacing his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose.

"I understood it clear as day," he answered. "And nine days from now, I expect one hell of a gift."

He slid into the driver's seat of the Spyder, and Artemis could vaguely see him wink through the dark sunglasses. She scoffed as he took off, leaving a scorched circle in the once-pleasant meadow.

* * *

The truth be told, Artemis didn't have any clue what to give Apollo for his birthday present. Out of annoyance, she had originally planned to offer him the worst gift imaginable - next to nothing, of course - since he had given her the gods-awful poetry book that she could honestly care less for. But somewhere within the nine days that followed, Artemis found herself _reading _the book, and smiling as she did so. Maybe - she _did _say maybe - the poems weren't so bad when they weren't being recited by the arrogant god of the sun himself (though some of them were rather self-centered; _For nine days and nights/Leto struggled through labor/and gave birth to moi_).

The more days that passed, the more Artemis grew to cherish the gift, and the harder it became to think up a gift for Apollo.

By the eve of Apollo's birthday, Artemis had concocted a plan worthy of Athena; at least, she hoped so. She hoped her brother would like it. Let's rephrase that: she hoped her brother would _understand _it. He could be utterly dense at times. All it took was a little pondering. She was sure that even her bonehead of a brother could understand it.

* * *

"Well?" was all Apollo said in greeting to his 'little' sister. "Where is it? You told me you'd have it by now."

"I do," Artemis promised. "I swear."

"Well, I don't see a gift," Apollo replied, pointing out the obvious.

"Of course you don't," she insisted. "It's not really something you can see - usually, anyway. I've come to learn that if you doubt things, they're most likely true."

"An invisible gift?" Apollo enthused. "This should be good!" He was grinning giddily. Artemis shook her head.

"Alright, listen closely," she instructed. Apollo nodded (_very _seriously) and listened patiently as Artemis took a hesitant step forward and whispered, as if their lives depended on it.

"You...can call me baby sister," she admitted reluctantly. Apollo at first wore an expression that combined shock, confusion, and caution, as if unsure if she was joking or not. It was then that a look of realization came over him, and he smirked at Artemis. "But _just _for a week. A week, you got it?" He nodded. He had to use this gift wisely, then.

"Okay, baby sister," he agreed. "So what now, baby sister? You look annoyed, baby sister. Why, baby sister? Hey, baby sister, you know that gift you gave me, baby sister? Thanks, baby sister. I love it, baby sister!" Artemis swatted his arm.

"What?" he insisted. "You _told _me I could do it."

"Not repeatedly!" she argued. "Don't you think it gets annoying sometimes?"

"You never said that," he reminded her. She sighed.

"You're right," she muttered. "I need to think things through more thoroughly next time." There was a brief silence. "Well, it's still your birthday. Make a wish?" It was more of a question than a command, which strayed from Artemis' usual conduct. Apollo shrugged.

"It's already come true," he replied simply. Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"You wished that I would smack you?" she asked, confused. Apollo stifled an involuntary laugh.

"Sure, we'll go with that, baby sister," he replied.

* * *

**********End Note: If you don't get it, he **_**really **_**wanted to call her 'baby sister' and get away with it :) Why? Decide for yourself: maybe he wanted to annoy her to Hades and back, or it's possible that it makes him all warm and fuzzy inside ;)**

**~Chelsea**


	7. Hunting Trip

**A/N: I wanted a really sweet Apollo/Arty moment, but I had difficulty keeping them IC. I hope they're not OOC :( I tried _really _hard. **

**Also, I just want to apologize for not personally responding to all of the reviews like I used to. I'm super busy :D **

**So, at the end of this chapter, I have made a rather long list of people who deserve my eternal gratitude! I hope you like this chapter. Enjoy...  
**

_~hunting trip~_

The sun had just set, and Apollo released a relieved sigh when he knew that his job for the day was done. He rubbed his sore neck as he parked the sun chariot, tousling his golden hair afterward. All he really wanted was to catch some z's and not have to worry about driving his sun chariot across the sky bright and early the next morning (though the latter was a wish that couldn't be granted).

The only thing preventing him from achieving the prior, however, was a tug in his gut that he knew all too well. He tensed, then locked his eyes shut, causing his brow to wrinkle, and concentrated.

He inhaled sharply. What was she _thinking_? He opened his eyes immediately, and he massaged his temple with his fingers. He glanced upwards. The moon was already glowing vibrantly against the solid background of the black sky, a sure sign that the sun chariot was _out _as a form of transportation. Apollo grimaced. He didn't usually like to pop up at random places, but desperate times called for desperate measures, and this was most definitely classified as a 'desperate time'.

He closed his eyes again, and this time when he reopened them, he was in the middle of the woods, and his twin sister Artemis was treading slowly not five feet in front of him, her auburn hair floating prettily behind her with every graceful step. He pressed his lips together determinedly and began walking forward, catching Artemis by the shoulder. She gasped and wheeled around, arrow notched and ready to fire, only to relax her posture upon meeting her brother's blue eyes from where he stood rigidly behind her.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded. Artemis widened her eyes.

"I'm _hunting_," she said slowly, as if not to confuse him. "What are _you _doing here?"

"By yourself?" Apollo insisted, ignoring her question. "Are you utterly insane? Don't you remember what happened the last time you decided to run off without the girls?" Artemis' eyes narrowed at her twin's casual reference to her huntresses.

"I'm perfectly fine, Apollo," she retorted sourly. "Just leave me alone."

"And run the risk of you getting kidnapped again?" he said. He shook his head briefly. "No-can-do, little sis."

"The war is over now, brother," Artemis argued. "Though it's a bit awkward to admit orally, I am the most fearful thing in the woods at the moment." Artemis laughed in the faces of beasts, after all. Titans were a different story...

"You can't know that for sure," Apollo insisted. The twins were now glaring intensely at each other, Artemis stretching up on her tiptoes and Apollo folding his arms over his chest.

"I have everything in order, Apollo," she assured him. "I've made Thalia promise that if I didn't return in two hours, she and her sisters would come after me." Apollo's lips were slightly ajar as he prepared to contradict his sister's statement, but she added hastily, "I'm a big girl, Apollo. I don't need you anymore." Apollo's mouth closed. Those were _exactly _the words he never wanted to hear. He blinked back some annoying tears that he would never, ever let leak. As far as everyone knew, Apollo didn't cry.

"My baby sister is not going to be hurt again, okay?" he insisted. "You're going to turn around right now and head back to your hunters. You're going to hunt _with them. _You're never going to hunt alone, and I'll see to it."

Artemis felt like screaming. How dare he come to her and demand that she be with someone at all times, as if she couldn't take care of herself!

"Stop treating me like a child, Apollo!" she snapped. "I'm _not _your baby sister. I never _was _your baby sister, and even if I had been, I'm not anymore!"

_Well, why didn't she just yank his heart out?_

There was a long, uncomfortable awkward silence after her outburst. Neither one of the twins would meet each other's eyes. They were too engulfed in their own thoughts. Artemis' words were replaying again and again in Apollo's mind, like the 'repeat' option on his iPod, and each time they came around, they stung even worse.

"I just don't want to see you hurt," Apollo finally spoke, his voice cracking slightly. Artemis still refused to look up.

"I understand," she murmured softly in response. "It just...it bothers me sometimes, when you treat me like a baby, Apollo. It burns me up inside."

"I see your point," he replied, barely whispering. Artemis removed her sad gaze from the soil of the ground to study Apollo's face. His eyes were locked on something far off in the distance, as if he were deep in thought – still. Artemis cleared her throat and shuffled uncomfortably.

"So," she began, "will you trust me to hunt on my own?" She mentally scoffed. As if she needed his consent...as if he were her protector. And yet, she still waited hopefully for his approval.

It took a moment for Apollo to answer. His blue eyes didn't move from the deep woods. After a long sigh, he locked eyes with his twin.

"Yes," he simply said. Artemis grinned.

"_Thank _you," she said. She turned her back to him and prepared to sprint deeper into the towering trees, when she paused and turned to face him again.

She didn't say anything – she just stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her back, and bent down to kiss the top of her head. After a moment, Artemis withdrew from the embrace and smirked at her brother.

"Thank you," she repeated, before dashing off into the woods, leaving Apollo standing alone with a stupid smile on his face.

She would always be his baby sister, even though she wouldn't admit it.

* * *

**Thanks to my reviewers:**

_**Daina Solo, acast, ArtemisFrimm, NobleBrokenBeauty, PJO-Fan-Of-The-Year, white water 1, iluvpercy101, Wavegirl245, Gnrlk (formerly thatlibbything), chocopie09, LiliumDupree, andy, GiGi Cullen-Jackson, EmeraldFire512, HermesEternalLover, Navigator101, PersonWithGlasses, Ronnie R15, Shrrgnien, xThatxOnexChick, Sillybookworm, AnnabethSupporter, and OldSpice2625. **_

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_**Chocopie09, dreamcatcher96, GiGi Cullen-Jackson, Mistflyer1102, NobleBrokenBeauty, OldSpice2625, Ronnie R15, and TheJazzyDolphin.**_

**Wow. I feel loved (I'm not being sarcastic, either). THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH :) **

**Also, I know a lot of you like it, but if there's anything you don't like, feel free to let me know. Unlike some people (not hinting at anyone in particular, just saying) I can take CC, so don't be afraid I'll hate you or anything.**

**OH! And in case you guys didn't know, I now have a hater :) Her username is _"silena beauregard is mwa" _or _"Calypso102"_...it changes frequently. :D**

**Love you guys,  
-Chelsea**


	8. Recruit

**A/N: This one contains less hugging and more bickering – because we all know that one of the best sources of laughter is two siblings arguing. Need I say more?**

**Thanks to all reviewers. I'm not like a lot of people on this site who beg for reviews, but they're always nice to have! :) So again, please R&R. ^^**

_~recruit~_

California was one of Apollo's favorite places, the main reason being that the girls were almost (_almost_) as attractive as he was. The secondary reason was that, hello, California was one of the sunniest places in the United States, and as the god of the sun, he simply couldn't resist.

He was sporting his usual attire – sleeveless shirt, this time a sky blue one, and khaki shorts with comfortable sandals. He was strolling down a pier crowded with tourists and locals alike when he noticed a stunning girl out of the corner of his eye. Still using his peripheral vision, he noted that she was a brunette, who couldn't be more than fifteen or sixteen, wearing a tank top and shorts – the usual attire, since it fit the heat of the summer. He grinned cockily and turned for a better look. The girl was tapping her fingers rhythmically against the table she was sitting at, the tall green umbrella that was poking out of the center of the table shielding her from the sun. She looked impatient, but in the politest way possible, as if she were waiting for someone but couldn't afford to come off as rude.

_Well_, the sun god thought, _she seems lonely – and we can't have that, now can we? _So, with a rather cheery pep in his walk, he approached the beauty and took the seat across from her.

"Hey there, sweetheart!" he greeted enthusiastically. The girl looked up with a start, and as she studied Apollo, an array of feelings were apparent on her pretty face – confusion, hesitation, and embarrassment, to name a few. Apollo took her silence as a sign to continue, so he happily asked, "What's your name?" The brunette glanced behind her and over Apollo's shoulder, as if worried that someone – perhaps whoever she was waiting for earlier – would walk in on this little interaction. She sighed before meeting Apollo's eyes.

"Brooke," she answered smoothly. She bit her lip. "And yours?" Apollo smiled, satisfied that she was actually talking to him.

"Apollo," he replied, as he had done many times before in conversations with various different women. At least he was experienced. Brooke froze, and her hazel eyes widened with a hint of worry.

"Apollo...like the Greek god, Apollo?" she asked slowly. Apollo nodded.

"My namesake," he answered. "I hear he was hot stuff." The worry in Brooke's eyes was replaced by a sort of carefree amusement, and she laughed.

Wait, she _laughed_?

Most girls that Apollo flirted with were impressed by his name, and this one was laughing. He stared at her, confused, until she wiped a tear from her eye and suddenly became serious.

"I'm sorry, it's just that, I was waiting for -"

"Brother," a cold voice interrupted. Brooke and Apollo looked up to meet the eyes of an angry Artemis, her quiver slung on her back and her hands on her hips. Brooke bit her lip, as if trying to keep from laughing, and Apollo looked, quite frankly, scared as hell.

"Uh, hey sis," he responded hesitantly. "I take it you've met Brookie here, right?" Brooke glared at Apollo's new nickname before glancing at his sister.

"I'm very sorry, Lady Artemis," she apologized. "I got caught up in a conversation with your brother, and forgot that you were revisiting me." Artemis nodded understandingly, and spoke to Apollo in a tone that was quite the opposite.

"I was recruiting her, Apollo," she explained. Apollo blinked.

"Oh," he replied dumbly. "Listen, Brookie -"

"It's Brooke," she insisted.

"Wow, you're almost worse than Thally," Apollo muttered. Brooke raised an eyebrow.

"Who?"

"He means Thalia, my lieutenant," Artemis explained in a weary tone, as if she had heard the nickname one too many times.

_"Anyway," _Apollo continued, "I just thought you should consider carefully before joining the Hunters. I mean, men aren't all that bad. I should know – I _am _a guy. What I'm trying to say is that Artemis and the girls tend to jump to conclusions a lot. Life for you would be much easier if you let me take you for a ride in my sun chariot – what do you prefer? BMW? Ferrari? Oh, and maybe out for dinner, too. Did I mention I'm a Greek god?"

The annoyed roll of Brooke's eyes didn't go unnoticed by either of the twins.

"I'm pretty sure that joining Lady Artemis' hunt is the path I want to take," she said. Artemis smirked at her brother's dumbfounded expression before placing a hand on Brooke's shoulder.

"If you're ready to take the oath now..." Brooke nodded and knelt in front of the goddess, who was looking upon her fondly. Apollo gaped as Brooke repeated after Artemis and _officially _became an eternal maiden. By the time Brooke rose from kneeling to stand next to Artemis, Apollo's lips were pursed and he felt slightly annoyed at his sister.

"Let's have a chat, sis," Apollo said through clenched teeth. Artemis shrugged.

"Brooke, dear, if you wouldn't mind waiting a moment?" she asked, turning to her huntress.

"Yes, milady," Brooke obeyed, scurrying off to somewhere down the pier. Artemis took Brooke's place in the chair across from Apollo and waited as Apollo leaned forward.

"No more ruining my dates," he said.

"Your dates?" Artemis scoffed. "Brooke and I had already discussed this before you decided to barge in and try one of your cheesy pick-up lines out on her. _I'm Apollo – like the Greek god Apollo. Why do I bear that name, you ask? Oh, it's just 'cause I'm hotter than the sun itself!" _Artemis snorted as she finished mimicking her brother. Apollo smirked in return.

"I'm surprised you know what a pick-up line is, little sis," he retorted. "It's not like _you've _ever used one...or better yet, had one used on you." Artemis glared at him, before rising from her seat gracefully.

"I don't have time for this, brother," she said irately. "I've got to get back to my huntresses. Oh, and thanks."

"For what?"

"Your flirting," she answered. "Every time you flirt with a girl, they come running to me."

"Oh, har-har!" Apollo snapped. He rolled his eyes. Little sisters – what could a guy do?

* * *

**End Note: And voila! Another chapter has been born. Brooke reminds me of a friend of mine...(: **

**Reviews are great. You guys are better :)**

**-Chelsea**


	9. Patrol

_**A/N: Hello, my lovely readers! This chapter is inspired by the part in 'The Titan's Curse' when Artemis mentions that Zeus has asked her and Apollo to hunt the most dangerous monsters before they could join up with the Titan's. I couldn't pass it up. I just couldn't - and yes, I'm that weird.  
**__  
_

* * *

_~patrol~_

* * *

"Wanna hear a poem?" Apollo suggested out of boredom, stroking his bow lovingly. Artemis sighed and used her own bow to smack her twin.

"Would you _shut up_ already?" she growled, shooting him a murderous glare. She adjusted the strap on her quiver, which was slung over her shoulder, before turning her attention back to the trees in front of her. "There's no way we'll be able to hunt the monsters if you keep yapping, brother."

"Okay, okay," he said, unwillingly surrendering. "I'm just _really _bored. And besides – you're the one who's all gung-ho about this hunting business. I don't know why Dad dragged _me _into this."

"Gee, I don't know," Artemis began sarcastically. "Perhaps it's because you're the _god of archery_?" She rolled her eyes. "What does it take to make you understand, Apollo?" He seemed to ponder the question.

"A poem!" he enthused, grinning at his twin with twinkling eyes. "Hey, we'll compose one together, eh?" He let the suggestion hang in the air. Artemis didn't bother to respond. "Okay, I'll take that as a yes. I'll start! _We will kill monsters_ -"

"Ugh!" Artemis groaned. "I was _not _expecting to have to hunt _with _you until we killed them all."

"Well, it was said that you and I would be the ones hunting the monsters," Apollo reminded his sister. He did his best to mimic her official yet slightly annoyed tone. "'_My brother Apollo and I shall hunt the most powerful monsters, seeking to strike them down before they can join the Titans' cause_.'" Artemis muttered a Greek curse under her breath that was enough to make Apollo's eyes go wide.

"I know that, _ilithios," _she hissed. "When Father Zeus said that, I didn't think he meant we'd fight side-by-side. I don't know about you with your big head, but I think it's pretty obvious that I can hunt by myself."

"Oh really?" Apollo teased, hinting at the ordeal she'd just barely escaped. She had been kidnapped by the Titan Atlas, and was forced to hold up the sky. It all began with her setting out on her own to hunt a monster.

"Shut up!" she snapped once again. This time Apollo obliged with only a chuckle to himself, shaking his head at his sister's irritability. She glanced over at him through narrowed eyes, and scoffed when he laughed even harder. Boys.

* * *

Five dead monsters later and the twins were lounging in the middle of the woods, each propped up against their own tree, facing one another. Artemis was standing, her arms crossed, a stern expression on her face yet a bit of a smile playing on her lips. Apollo was sitting Indian style, his head resting on the trunk of a maple tree with his azure eyes closed. His expression was relaxed, though his hands were constantly moving – fidgeting with the soil on the ground, the bark of the tree, his hair, and anything else he could reach without shifting his position. Artemis watched, amused, as her brother accidentally clutched a frog, jumping up with his eyes wide open when it croaked.

"What the Hades!" he exclaimed. He tossed the frog away from him. The amphibian's exhilarating flight would have ended in a rather unfortunate way had Artemis not caught the soaring animal, tsking at her brother's actions.

"What were you trying to do?" she demanded. "Kill it?"

_"Well_, I already knew that with my luck, you'd save it, so -"

"Apollo!" she scolded. "That's so cruel. And they say _I'm _the icy one." The frog gave a ribbet as if agreeing with the goddess. Apollo raised his hands in front of him in surrender, though it appeared more or less like he was shielding himself from his raging sister.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized halfheartedly. "I forgot you were all 'protector of the wild animals'. So anyway, where are we going after this? They can't all be hiding out in the _woods, _for Olympus' sake – especially not with us here." Artemis stroked the frog thoughtfully, before crouching down and releasing it near a puddle that it gladly hopped into.

"Indeed," she agreed. "They could be anywhere – and that's not an exaggeration. But worry not, brother, because with _my _hunting skills, we'll locate and destroy all of the unworthy fiends without much trouble." She smiled triumphantly.

"Oh, and _I'm _the cocky one," Apollo muttered, mocking his sister's earlier comment. Artemis smirked.

"At least when I show pride I'm not exasperatingly obnoxious," she teased, dancing over to pat her brother's blond head.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, winking when she narrowed her eyes.

"Come, Apollo," she insisted. "We have work to do."

"What?" he replied. "I thought we were still trying to figure out where to look next." Artemis sighed.

"We have to finish scavenging the forest first, brother," she translated, a tender yet annoyed tone to her voice, as if she were explaining a rather simple math problem to a hyperactive second grader. "If we were to miss a monster..._That would not be good/If we did Zeus would kill us/So let's keep looking_." She smiled. "Not too shabby, if I do say so myself."

"Stick to what you know," Apollo suggested.

"Come again?"

"Keep your day job – er, night job," Apollo explained with his famous blinding white smile.

"And keep your mouth shut," Artemis retorted, flicking her brother on the nose and walking away without looking back.

* * *

Apollo didn't like it when he had to fight angry beasts, like the Minotaur. Apollo _really, really _didn't like it when said beast was trying to crush his baby sister.

The Minotaur had one giant hand wrapped around Artemis' waist, squeezing as hard as he could, provoking cries of agony from the tortured goddess. Had she been mortal, the pressure surely would have broken her hips – and, well, anything else near the area. Though she was experiencing nearly unbearable pain, it wasn't like Artemis to give up. It was _never _like Artemis to give up. This explained why she was desperately reached for her bow as she screamed, kicking and clawing and spitting as violently as she could manage. Unfortunately for her, her bow was also in possession of the Minotaur. The beast was holding it tauntingly in the opposite hand, and Artemis couldn't reach across his broad chest. She cried out again and looked to Apollo pleadingly as the Minotaur gave a throaty sound that the twins supposed was a laugh. Apollo was already there. He was seeing red, firing arrows as fast as he could, which lodged themselves in the chest and stomach of the beast. Confused, the Minotaur snorted and dropped the goddess, who was bleeding golden ichor in several places.

In one swift movement, Apollo pushed Artemis to the side so as not to harm her in his battle with the Minotaur. The Minotaur still seemed to be laughing at Apollo, only slightly wincing as he plucked the arrows from his torso as they came flying. Apollo was losing hope, continuously sending arrows, until more arrows came flying. Apollo wasn't shooting the arrows – they weren't his. He knew because his were a golden-brown, and these arrows were a charming silver. They were a lot less awkward than his arrows, and were tons more graceful. They seemed to dance through the air before neatly embedding themselves in the skin of the beast. The beast roared. A surprised Apollo whipped his head around to see none other than a limping Artemis, firing arrows with a determined and noticeably pained expression on her pretty face. Her usually lithe twelve year old form was now weak and prone to attacks, and both Apollo and the Minotaur noticed this.

"Stay away from my baby sister!" Apollo grunted, shielding Artemis as he fought the Minotaur. From behind her brother, Artemis was still able to aim at the monster without being _aimed at. _With this advantage, she managed to send quite a few arrows to quite a few _painful _places.

Soon enough, it was all too much for the Minotaur. With a final roar, he disintegrated into yellow dust, leaving a panting pair of twins stranded in the middle of the woods.

Artemis whimpered abruptly, and Apollo caught her before she fell. Her ichor was staining the side of his shirt, and her head was resting on his shoulder – unconscious.

When she woke up, she was stretched out on a makeshift cot constructed entirely from leaves, branches, and fallen pine needles. She noted that she was under a tall pine, and that Apollo was sleeping against the trunk of it. She laughed, then gave a weak whistle. It was enough to get her brother's attention.

"Wha – Artemis?" he stuttered. She nodded. He smiled warmly and crawled over to the cot.

"Feeling any better?" he asked. She nodded a second time.

"The wounds are gone, as usual, but I'm still sore," she explained. "At least I'm well-rested, eh?" Apollo smiled sadly.

"Would you do me a favor?" he asked. Artemis looked confused but sincere.

"Sure, what is it?" she replied.

"Next time you happen across a monster, don't charge it," he answered. Artemis rolled her eyes playfully.

"Will do, brother," she agreed. He kissed her forehead.

_"Good." _


	10. Constellations and Big Mistakes

****

**A/N: Ah, emotions! You're all probably thinking, 'This bitch is insane.'  
_Well, that's only slightly true! :)_  
_Anyway, this chapter is indeed serious and emotional, as it involves Orion - but, you all know me, and I had to have some humor. Just some, and it's towards the end so that it doesn't interfere with the emotional aspect of the story. Carry on, then!_

* * *

**

_~constellations and big mistakes~  
_

* * *

As dedicated to her oath as she was, Artemis sometimes wished that what had happened to Orion _didn't _happen. She wished that her brother wasn't so protective, and that she could have loved Orion for as long as she wanted. She thought these things, but she never spoke them.

Her twin brother Apollo didn't think before he spoke. Sometimes he blurted out any random thought that passed through his mind. It wasn't like he could help it – he was pretty spontaneous. He acted on instinct. This particular feature usually didn't bother Apollo, except when it came to his twin sister Artemis. When he blurted things out around her, it hurt her. A lot. He always wanted to fix it, to make it better, but somehow he always ended up making it worse. This was the only time that he _didn't _voice his thoughts.

It was one of those nights where everything was going great. Apollo and Artemis were lying side by side not too far from where Artemis and her huntresses had set up camp. It was nighttime now, and the stars were shining prominently in the sky. As usual, Apollo messed up. He made the mistake of pointing out the constellations.

"The constellations are easy to see tonight," he noted quietly, glancing over at his sister. Artemis didn't move her eyes from the sky.

"Hmm," she mumbled in reply, her fingers pulling casually at the grass by her side, plucking the green blades and releasing them quickly and smoothly. She continued this pattern until her brother spoke again.

"I can see every single one," he continued. "Taurus, Gemini, Orio-" He stopped. "I mean, uh, Cancer...well, they sound the same. Sort of. I just meant-" Artemis sighed.

"It's – it's fine, Apollo," she lied. "It doesn't really bother me anymore." Apollo sighed too, taking his head in his hands and groaning.

"It still bothers _me_, Artemis," he said quietly. "I mean, I don't regret what I did-"

"Oh, you _don't_?" Artemis snapped sharply, sitting upright and glaring at her brother coldly. "You _don't _regret killing the man I loved? You really don't? Because I would think one who has murdered before would surely regret their actions." Apollo's head snapped up, and his usually cheery eyes were now reduced to slits.

"Are you saying that I killed him just because?" he spat. "Artemis, you have to understand that he was bad for you! As long as he was alive, you'd experience nothing but trouble."

"That's a lie!" Artemis shouted, slamming her fist into the ground. "That's a lie and you _know _it, Apollo! Orion would never do that to me! He would never hurt me." Apollo closed his eyes and took a deep breath or two, careful not to say anything that would hurt her. Well, too late.

"Of course _he _wouldn't!" Apollo snapped. "And do you know why? Because he _loved _you, too. But you have to understand that it was planned out by Aphrodite! It was _love magic_, sister. Aphrodite and Eros were playing their little games, and you were their victim. Had she not cursed you, you would have never wanted this. You would not have wanted to be with Orion! Don't you understand that? You would have turned him to a jackalope almost immediately, poor thing!" Artemis' face was red – whether from embarrassment or anger, Apollo wasn't sure.

"That's very true," she agreed hesitantly, anger oozing from her cold tone, "but since I had a spell on me, there was nothing else to do but love him. Isn't that obvious enough?"

"You still don't get it!" Apollo replied. "Aphrodite didn't put the spell on you just for the fun of it! She hates you, remember? She wanted you gone. By putting that spell on you, she thought she'd rid herself of you. It was an impeccable plan, wasn't it? You fall in love with a mortal, you abandon your oath, you _become _mortal..." Artemis gasped. It was quiet for a moment.

"You...so she..." Artemis paused, closing her eyes. "So you _killed _him, Apollo?"

"Technically, you killed him."

"You put me up to it!" she defended. "Why did you do it, Apollo?"

"If you would've become mortal to be with Orion, I would have lost you forever," he explained softly.

"That's not true," Artemis said, borderline-sympathetically. "You still could have visited me." Apollo shook his head.

"What about when you died? What would I do then?" he insisted. Artemis paused. She hadn't thought of that.

"I still don't think that his life should have been taken," was all Artemis said after that. She laid back down in the soft green grass and glanced up at the nighttime sky, tracing the constellation of Orion again and again. She'd memorized the pattern – like she had so many times before – forty-one times over before her brother spoke again.

"Maybe I was angry that he'd have you and I wouldn't – you know, he'd get to see you everyday, and be able to hug you...and I'd just miss my baby sister."

"I'm older than you, dumbass!"

Apollo smiled. "There's the Artemis I know!"

It took most, if not all, of the goddess' strength to smile over at her brother, who was grinning over at her with playful eyes, his impossibly white teeth illuminating the dark.

The sound of footsteps made them both look over, only to see Thalia Grace waiting awkwardly a little ways away. She seemed cautious, but she raised an eyebrow upon seeing Apollo. He winked and gave a flirty grin in return, earning a scolding smack from Artemis. Thalia tried her hardest not to scoff (and failed) before becoming serious and turning to Artemis.

"Milady, is everything alright?" she asked calmly. "A few of my sisters heard shouting and woke me." Artemis smiled at her lieutenant.

"Everything is fine...for now," she responded. "Tell the girls not to worry, and get some rest yourself." Thalia nodded and, with one final glare in the sun god's direction, made her way back to the tents.

"Anyway," Apollo began after Thalia was out of sight – and hopefully earshot, "let's not _ever _talk about this again. Capiche?" Artemis rolled her eyes and stood up swiftly, peering down at her brother.

"Is the big bad sun god afraid of a little emotion?" she teased, folding her arms over her chest. Apollo frowned.

"Is it the time of the month?" he inquired.

_"What?" _Artemis replied, her tone implying, _You're an idiot._

"You're having enough mood swings for it," he mumbled. Artemis gaped in disbelief.

"_Goodbye, _brother!" she said, wheeling around to leave.

"Wait, I was having fun!" Apollo insisted, standing up with a cheeky grin and proceeding to follow his twin. Artemis stopped and laid a hand on Apollo's chest – in other words, she demanded that he stop.

"I'm sure _you _were," she sighed. "Now I've got to get back to the campsite. I'll see you later – and don't do anything stupid, okay?" Apollo smirked as Artemis walked away.

"No promises."

* * *

**End Note: Oh, Apollo. How I love you.  
I listened to _tons _upon _tons _of Regina Spektor's songs while writing this. You may have inferred by now that I am indeed in love (not literally) with Regina. ReSpekt! :) **

**Thanks to all reviewers, and please continue to review.  
-Chelsea**


	11. Eclipse

**A/N: Apollo, Artemis, and – what's this? Thalia Grace? Goody! :) **

**Disclaimer: Okay, everyone, I have an announcement. Much to your disbelief, I do not own PJO. I know, I know, you _totally _thought I did. Sorry for all of the confusion (she says sarcastically).**

_~eclipse~  
_

Whenever Apollo sees his sister in a state of melancholy or depression, or if she's even the slightest bit hurt, he feels that he's obligated to help her get back to her normal state. He doesn't see it as a chore, because it's something he does because his heart tells him to. You see, there's a difference between doing something because you just _have _to and because you undeniably _want _to. Driving the sun chariot across the sky every morning? Apollo _has _to do that. Murmuring a few words of comfort in his twin's ear and holding her until the waterworks cease? Apollo wants to do that. He wants to be there for her.

When he sees her like this – hurt, saddened, angry – he thinks back to when they were very young, not more than toddlers, and would play together in the woods, running and laughing and overall having fun. He remembers when she would be paying so much attention to her surroundings that she paid hardly any attention to the ground she was running on. He recalls, clear as day, her looking over at him and smiling, and tripping on a tree root that sent her tumbling to the ground, face first. Nowadays, Apollo looks back on this memory with a smile, sometimes a brief chuckle, and he shakes his head at the thought of a tiny Artemis (well, tinier than she already is) taken by surprise by a tree root, of all things. The Artemis he knows now would never fall victim to such a thing.

But young Apollo did _not _laugh. He saw Artemis fall to the forest floor and gasped, running over to help her up. Little Artemis had tears in her eyes, and she looked up at her brother pleadingly. Apollo took her by the hand and helped her stand. She was able to stand on her own after a minute, without the sturdy support of her brother (Little Apollo was still pretty strong). She had a small scrape on her knee, and ichor was oozing from it. She whimpered at the sight, but when Apollo asked if she was okay, she denied ever being hurt, scared, worried. She denied it all, but Apollo could see her golden blood flowing down her shins.

That, Apollo thinks now, is very similar to the current Artemis – denying any fear or pain. Apollo tells her that it's much easier to admit everything, but like always, Artemis keeps it to herself. Apollo supposes this is why she's in trouble so often, and he's always the one that has to – _wants to –_ help her up.

* * *

Artemis always tells herself that she does not, under any circumstances, need her brother's help. It's obvious that they're closer than can be, but she still keeps things from him. This way, she has a sense of independence, that feeling that she can do things on her own. For some reason, Apollo seems to hate it when she acts this way. She doesn't know why. They may be twins, but they're two very, very different people.

At least she thinks. Sun and moon are undeniably opposites, right? But this doesn't explain why she feels such a strong connection to him. They can read each others thoughts, when permitted, and they'll always know each other's true feelings...

Thinking this last thought, Artemis realizes that hiding half of who she is is _such _a waste, because Apollo knows anyway – he's just too stupid to realize it. When she falls, and he helps her up (like always), he's either playing dumb or truly stupid.

* * *

Thalia listens patiently when Artemis rants about her arrogant brother, but in the back of her mind she can't help but find the goddess' anger slightly amusing. They bicker like two mortal siblings – she expects them to be uptight and snooty about it, but they're so _real_. Sometimes, it honestly amazes her.

When Apollo visits the Hunters unexpectedly, Artemis pretends to be angry that he interrupts them when nothing is really going on, Thalia notes, because she has to have some reason to be angry with them. Thalia knows that underneath, Lady Artemis is so happy to see her twin that she can hardly bear. It's hard for Artemis when she's apart from Apollo, and Thalia knows it.

As annoying as his horrid poetry can be, Thalia is grateful that Apollo is there for Artemis. Seeing as Thalia is her lieutenant – her second-in-command, the beta, her best friend (next to Apollo) – she is very close to the goddess as well. When the goddess hurts, she hurts – and she can't even _begin _to imagine the pain that her twin brother Apollo goes through. It's times like these that Thalia just sits back, relaxes, and lets the sun god do all of the work – because honestly, how do you cheer up a moping moon goddess?

He's always there to pick her up when she falls, which Thalia is thankful for, because Thalia might accidentally drop her...

* * *

Apollo remembers that the description of a solar eclipse is the blocking of the sun by the moon. This is how he feels when Artemis won't tell him anything – _eclipsed. _The word has a certain ring to it, he thinks, and he continues wondering why she blocks him so constantly.

She knows that she can tell him anything, so why does she hesitate? Is he not a good brother? He's certainly annoying, he knows – not only has Artemis pointed it out on numerous occasions, but it's also his _duty _to bother her to Hades and back. He doesn't think that makes him a bad older brother. He hopes not.

He contemplates leaving her alone, giving her space, but then he thinks back over this plan and notes that it would only make things worse. One way, Artemis would lock him out of her mind and refuse to grant him entrance, and the other way, she'd accuse him of abandoning her, of leaving her stranded when she needed him.

This was one hell of a predicament.

* * *

Artemis conjures up two seemingly impeccable plans. Plan A: she confronts Apollo. She tells him that she's no Athena, but she's not stupid, either, and she knows that he's pretending to be clueless. With Plan A, she'll find out the truth, but she'll be unbelievably embarrassed if she's wrong.

And then there's always Plan B: she accepts Apollo. She doesn't know if Apollo already knows what's going on with her or not, and she doesn't even care that she's giving him the pleasure. All she cares about is being able to tell someone these things without feeling that her trust has been violated.

And then she realizes that this is Apollo, and she wonders why she was ever worried in the first place.

* * *

Thalia knows it's going to happen. She sees it coming like Apollo sees his prophecies being fulfilled. She knows that eventually, they're going to give up this stupid routine and just break. Both of them, not just one – and they won't break one at a time, either. No, they'll break at the same exact time, and Artemis will let her guard down, and Apollo won't take advantage of her, and he'll just listen.

Thalia's pretty sure _they _know too. She's not sure how many millennia it will take before they admit it, though.

* * *

**End Note: So. Many. Page breaks! I hope it doesn't bother anyone.**

**So, this may seem random (my iPod was on shuffle while writing this, and my favorite song came on), but what is your favorite song? **

**Mine is Sweet Child O Mine by Guns N Roses! :)**

**Reviews are appreciated, as usual.**

**-Chelsea**


	12. Just A Kiss

**A/N: I think I speak for everyone by saying that Apollo is one horny god. **

**Proof? This one-shot! (:**

**Sarah is named after one of my close friends (who is, by coincidence, a _twin_!), though she looks and acts nothing like her. My darling friend, Sarah, is not a _slut_. Plus, her surname is not Bohn. ;) **

_~just a kiss~_

Shit, shit, shit.

It wasn't _really _Apollo's fault, right? Come on, he was practically irresistible, but it wasn't like he could help it. After all, Sarah was _Artemis' _huntress. Apollo couldn't be held responsible for her wanting him.

He really did like that kiss, though. He'd had his eye on Sarah for awhile now, but he hadn't done anything about it for fear of being killed by his sister. Being murdered by Artemis would simply _not _work. However, Sarah just _had _to approach Apollo with her genius plan. As it turned out, it wasn't so genius. Especially not when Thalia stumbled upon the scene.

Apollo had just been shooed by his annoyed twin when Sarah approached him, her black hair braided and her grey eyes surprisingly alluring. Apollo regarded her with a smile, but Sarah had something more in mind.

"Lord Apollo, if you do not mind, I've got quite a few things to say to you," she breathed seductively. Apollo's eyes widened behind his sunglasses, and he glanced from side to side nervously. "What's the matter? Don't you desire me?"

"Uh, listen, Sarah," he began, nearly choking on his own words, "you're very beautiful. Very, _very _beautiful. Unfortunately, my sister would have both of our necks if anything..._happened _between us. So what do you say we leave it as it is?" Apollo held out his hand for the huntress to shake. Sarah regarded it with pursed lips. She didn't shake his hand. Instead she slowly moved it back to his side and crossed her arms. She locked eyes with the sun god and tilted her head to the side.

"That would not please me," she admitted. Apollo inhaled.

"Well, aren't you blunt," he muttered. "I'm really very sorry, but I've got to get go-"

He was silenced quite abruptly when Sarah's lips crashed against his, sending waves of both pleasure and fear through his body – pleasure, obviously, from kissing the beautiful huntress, and fear from the thought that he was _dead_ (well, as dead as an immortal can be).

He reluctantly placed a hand on each of her shoulders and broke the kiss, shooting her a serious look.

"This isn't supposed to happen, Sarah," he warned. Sarah shrugged.

_"Many _things aren't supposed to happen, Lord Apollo," she replied carelessly. "You shouldn't worry. The others are busy, and no one will notice my absence." Apollo snorted.

"Are you _sure _you know my baby sister?" He took a step backward and rubbed his eyes. "This isn't happening." Sarah stepped closer to him and pulled his hands from his eyes.

"Oh, but it is," she reminded him.

_Not helping_, he thought. With any other woman, he would have simply been outraged, demanding that she leave his sight or face a pain worse than death, but this wasn't just any woman. This was Sarah Bohn, Hunter of Artemis, and perhaps Artemis would rather find her making out with Apollo on the forest floor than dead at the hands of him. Plus, she was pretty (okay, understatement).

"Just relax," Sarah pleaded desperately. "No one will happen upon us."

"You can't be sure," Apollo insisted.

"I don't have to be," she retorted. "Please, just kiss me."

It wasn't hard to oblige. The next thing he knew, Sarah was pressed up against the trunk of a tree, running her hands through Apollo's hair as they moved their lips together rhythmically.

For an eternal maiden, she sure was experienced.

The fun and games were over when his sister's most trusted advisor approached.

"Oh, my gods," Thalia Grace gasped, dropping her hunting knife out of surprise. Apollo broke away from Sarah immediately, glancing, wide-eyed, at his half-sister. She raised an eyebrow, obviously amused, though she tried to hide it and keep a serious facade. "You are bait for your sister's next bear trap, my friend."

"I know!" Apollo cried, pushing Sarah away. "I know, I know. Please, Thalia, you have to promise me that you won't tell my sister!"

"You know that I have to," she replied, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I'm her lieutenant. It's my job. And as for you," she was talking to Sarah now, who was pouting by the tree, "Lady Artemis will be extremely disappointed. I don't know if I really have to tell you this, but your privileges as a huntress will all be lost." Sarah rolled her eyes, which made Thalia shrug. She'd never admit it, but she'd never exactly liked Sarah Bohn, anyway.

"Damn it, Thalia!" Apollo cursed. Thalia shook her head.

"Come on, Sarah," she said, "Artemis should know about this." Sarah sighed dramatically and followed Thalia.

And Apollo ran.

So now, as Apollo was pacing worriedly in his temple on Olympus, he kept imagining his sister's face, her voice, her biting words. They'd come to him sooner or later.

When he heard angry, perfectly paced footsteps, he knew he had company. He ducked behind a stone pillar and inhaled, holding his breath. The footsteps ceased.

"I _know _you're in here, brother, so _cut the crap_!" came Artemis' cold voice, accusing him of so much in so little words.

_Uh, no one's home?_ Twin telepathy was always much easier than speaking aloud. Artemis growled (one of the scariest things Apollo had ever heard) and marched over to the column, grabbing at Apollo's upper arm. Her nails were digging into his skin.

"Ow!" he complained. Artemis released him and continued glaring.

"Let's get this straight," she said through clenched teeth. "First, you flirt continuously with one of _my _huntresses. Then, you proceed to _kiss _my huntress. Afterward, you expect Thalia _not _to tell me of her encounter." She paused. "For the god of the sun, you're not very bright."

"Please don't kill me!" Apollo pleaded. Artemis scoffed.

"I wasn't going to _kill _you, brother!" she snapped. "I do, however, plan to make your entire existence as miserable as possible until you admit that what you did was wrong." She smirked.

"What I did was wrong!" her brother replied immediately. "There. Happy?"

"Not quite," she spat. Apollo groaned.

"What do you want from me, woman?" he muttered.

"An apology," she answered. "If that's not too entirely difficult." Apollo sighed.

"Sister dearest, I am incredibly and unbelievably sorry that I even _contemplated _kissing your huntress. It was entirely wrong of me, and it won't happen again." Artemis looked impressed.

"Though I'm unsure of the last part, I'll accept your apology nonetheless," she said. Apollo breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank Zeus," he said. "I thought for sure you were going to use me for your bear trap?"

"What?"

"Nothing."

* * *

**End Note: Fact – nearly every conversation I have with the _real _Sarah contains a 'What?' 'Nothing!'. :) **

**Thanks to all of my lovely reviewers. Keep up the good work! (:**

**-Chelsea**


	13. Best Friend

**A/N: WOW. You guys are incredible! Thanks for not only leaving me such sweet reviews, but also giving me help where I need it. I can't thank you enough! I'm really glad you're enjoying these. Yes, I love the twins too, and I love writing about them! (:**

_~best friend~_

When he found her, she was in her temple, crying her eyes out. Fat, silver tears were rolling down her cheeks, causing her waterfall of auburn hair to stick to her reddened face. She wasn't sobbing – she was simply shedding a few tears. He hated seeing her like this.

She must have sensed his presence, because she hastily wiped her eyes and patted and her wet face with a bit of loose fabric on her dress. She straightened out her hair and rose from where she had been sitting with her knees pulled tight to her chest by the tall silver statue of the goddess herself.

"Oh," she spoke, her voice cracking. Her brother winced. "H-hello, brother. I was...it's just-"

"You have nothing to hide from me, sister." His voice was soft and concerned. Artemis took comfort in it – she knew that if there was anyone she could trust, it was her twin, Apollo. She let out a miserable wail and sank back to the ground, weeping once more. Apollo closed his eyes, trying to make the pained cries go away. "I think I know why you're doing this, Artemis." She didn't look up. "I know you're saddened by your loss."

Zoë Nightshade. The name rang in his mind like a dozen brass bells. Every time he'd paid an unexpected visit to his sister and her huntresses, she'd always been the one to jump to Artemis' defense. She'd been a good and loyal lieutenant to his baby sister, and for that he'd be forever thankful.

He sat down next to his twin and put an arm around her. For once, she didn't squirm or flinch. She rested her head on his shoulder and, with a weary croak, began to speak.

"I remember when she first joined," she began, barely a whisper. "She was so naïve, yet at the same time, so knowledgeable. When she approached me and stated that she wanted to join and become my sister, I accepted her so quickly you'd have imagined that I didn't think it through first. Oh, but I did. All I could think about was how amazing it would be to have her as my friend – she was brave, loyal...everything a real friend would be. Someone who would fight to the death for you." She paused. "And that's exactly what she did." Apollo nodded solemnly, moving a strand of lose hair behind Artemis' ear. She gave a weak, faint smile of gratitude before speaking again.

"And when it came to hunting – _my_, was she brilliant!" Artemis laughed, her voice full of awe. "Improvement was still needed, but she was very talented." She closed her eyes, and her smile disappeared. "Unfortunately, she had a temper. A very _big _temper. Very similar to mine, you could say." Apollo grinned, but urged his sister to continue with a gentle nudge. "Upon our first run-in with Thalia, Annabeth, and that son of Hermes," like many gods, she still wouldn't speak the traitor's name, "she was angered by Thalia's insults...too angered. I had to hold her back, Apollo!" Apollo laughed softly this time.

"I'm sure you did," he replied. "She was certainly one of a kind." Artemis took a sudden interest in her sandals.

"Yes," she agreed. She wiped away another tear. "I'll miss her tremendously." There was a completely unplanned moment of silence then – as if they were at a funeral, and were remembering the deceased. It was certainly fitting.

"Think about it, sis," Apollo began. "You lost one best friend – Zoë. But you've gained another – Thalia." Artemis smiled at the thought, then hesitated, as if she knew what she wanted to say, but wasn't sure if it would be appropriate to say aloud. Apollo furrowed his brow. "What is it?"

"The two mentioned are or were both wonderful friends," she agreed with a smile. "But my best friend's been here all along, and has never left...and never will." Apollo raised an eyebrow.

"And that would be...?"

Artemis rolled her eyes and jabbed him in the stomach with her pointy elbow. He winced.

"You, stupid!" she said, but she was laughing, and so was he.

"You're my best friend, too," he told her. "And I wouldn't have it any other way." He squeezed her tightly against him, and she hugged back, but pretended to gasp for air. Apollo released her, chuckling. "You're ridiculous."

"Look who's talking."

"Lady Artemis?" The confused and slightly hesitant voice was coming from the entrance, echoing through the temple as if it were ricocheting off of the walls. Lady Artemis' new lieutenant, the undeniably punk and ever-spunky daughter of Zeus by name of Thalia Grace, was blushing beet red, fidgeting in the doorway.

"Yes, my dear?" Artemis answered, taking Apollo's hand as he stood up and offered to help her up. Thalia smiled a bit.

"I've been looking for you," she admitted. "You reminded me to come get you." Artemis nodded.

"Yes, I remember," she said with a smile. In return, Thalia gave a wider smile, which faltered when she noticed the few ignored tears on the goddess' cheek. She gasped.

"Lady Artemis, are you okay?" she asked. Artemis quickly removed the tears and smiled again.

"Yes, I'm fine," she lied. Thalia looked disbelieving, which showed when she awkwardly approached Artemis and appeared as if she wasn't sure whether she should hug her or stand at least three feet away from her at all times. Artemis made the first move, and put an arm around Thalia, smiling weakly. "Thank you for your concern."

As the two maidens made their way to Artemis' chariot, conversing and laughing, Apollo knew that he had yet another person for whom he should be eternally grateful.

* * *

**End Note: READ PLEASE!(:**

**I know, it's short. Lack of inspiration, I suppose.**

**Anyway, I feel very stupid asking this of you guys (since you've already reviewed, favorited...done everything except bake me a German Chocolate cake, the usual), but it's something that's kind of important to me, so I'm getting help any way I can.**

**I have posted a very important message on my profile that I'd like you guys to read, even if you can't do anything. Please? (: I think you'll know which one it is. (HINT: Happy Shark Week!)**

**-Chelsea**


	14. Lengths

**A/N: I know, I know, it's been awhile. School's back in session, the state fair's going on (_so _much fun), and I've been spending a lot of time with my friends, catching up. That's as much as I'm going to explain myself. I had some trouble wording this chapter, which made the wait even _longer_, so my apologies. Oh, and for your information, this chapter is about what Apollo did to help with the rescue of Artemis in TTC. It's basically the visit from Fred in _his _point of view, but spiced up a little (the dialogue remained untouched, but I didn't want to basically repeat Rick Riordan in every minor detail, so I changed the actual body). **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.  
**

_

* * *

_

_~lengths~_

* * *

Light, happy, playful, lovable.

All of these words described Apollo's attitude – one he was happy to possess. As long as nothing utterly serious was going on, he was sure to transform most things into a joke. However, one thing was simply _never _a joke – the safety of Artemis.

She hated it, but he felt that it was required. She was his baby sister (at least, in his mind) and he simply felt obligated to keep her safe.

Ah, the lengths he would go to just to protect her...or rather, save her.

This was why he found himself in the form of an old homeless man, standing before a warm fire burning atop a trash can filled with twigs and branches. He grunted at his own disgusting smell and poked at the fire with a stick, seeing as there wasn't really anything else to do. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and waited. They'd be here soon. He knew so – he was the god of prophecy.

He was right, of course. There was no avoiding _his _predictions. They looked awful – each one with tangled hair, tired expressions, and shaking bodies from the cold. He glanced at each one individually.

Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon and expected child of the prophecy. Apollo especially hated it when people asked him if Perseus was _the one_, because even the god himself didn't know, and he hated being wrong – even more so than Athena, though she never _was _wrong. This kid frustrated him, but at the same time he didn't mind Percy's presence – just as long as he wasn't expected to answer any questions. He grinned briefly and moved along.

Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus and second guess for the child of the prophecy. Apollo frowned. Thalia was _very _close to sixteen, and if _she _was the prophecy child...Apollo shook his head. _Stop thinking about the Great Prophecy – this one's for Artemis! _

Grover Underwood, satyr and close friend to both of the aforementioned. Apparently he was unusually fond of not only his sister's hunters, but the goddess herself. Ha! Cute.

Bianca di Angelo, undetermined Huntress of Artemis. She had a faint glow, noticeable even in the chill of the winter, that all hunters bore, and her innocent face portrayed fear and uncertainty. Not that Apollo could blame her – she was relatively new to this stuff.

Zoë Nightshade, Huntress of Artemis and daughter of Atlas. Of course, she was a familiar face. There wasn't much analyzing left to do there, but he couldn't help but appreciate one solitary thing – that she was as desperate for the return of Artemis as he was. That was worthy of his appreciation.

The five of them stumbled wearily across him, confused as ever, and he gave them a wide, toothless grin – time to get into character.

"Y'all need to get warmed up?" he offered. "Come on over." The five took advantage of his generosity and shuffled eagerly over to the fire. Thalia Grace was pale white, her teeth chattering like crazy and her hot breath transforming into thick fog in the wintry air.

"Well this is g-g-g-great," she muttered, her condition obviously not bettered by much by the crackling fire.

"My hooves are frozen," complained the furry satyr, who was given a harsh look from the son of Poseidon.

_"Feet," _Percy corrected jumpily, glancing over at Apollo worriedly. The god wanted to chuckle, but that might have given it away – or not. He decided not to risk it anyway.

"Maybe we should contact camp," the newest huntress, Bianca, suggested hopefully. "Chiron-"

"No," Zoë interrupted, stunning the other hunter into silence. "They cannot help us anymore. We must finish this quest ourselves." Apollo looked away for a moment. Zoë's attitude towards the quest reminded him strongly of his sister, and he couldn't help but feel a sudden pang of nostalgia upon being reminded of Artemis' unswerving determination. He turned back to the group. He would do what he must.

"You know," he finally spoke, keeping his voice level, "you're never completely without friends." He gave a kindly smile, then tried taking his own advice. So far, it wasn't working. "You kids need a train going west?" He wanted to kick himself. _Way to go, Apollo! That wasn't obvious at all!_

"Yes, sir," Percy replied, somehow oblivious. "You know of any?" Apollo raised his right hand and pointed casually towards a beauty of a freight train – an automobile-carrier, untouched by the snow. Apollo winced, but it went unnoticed, because the three dyslexic demigods were still struggling to read the side of the vehicle (SUN WEST LINE) while the two other companions were waiting patiently. Thalia Grace seemed to be the only one to notice the creepiness of the situation.

"That's...convenient," she said slowly. "Thanks, uh..."

But the sun god had chosen that moment to hightail it out of there, leaving the five confused travelers to board the train quickly. The rising smoke from the burnt twigs, minus the fire, mixing with the biting cold air was the only sign that Apollo had been there a moment ago.

* * *

Percy Jackson was lounged in the front seat of a Lamborghini – something he would've enjoyed if it hadn't been for the fact that his best friend and a goddess were both in danger. Apollo appeared silently in the passenger seat right next to him, going unnoticed, and simply listening to the son of Poseidon's thoughts for quite some time.

He was worried, Apollo realized, about what he would dream about – what the dreams would mean, and if they were visions of the future. Apollo smirked.

"Oh, don't be afraid of dreams," he said. Percy jumped slightly and looked over, eyes widening as he caught sight of the homeless man from before. Apollo smiled before continuing. "If it weren't for dreams, I wouldn't know half the things I know about the future. They're better than Olympus tabloids."

Apollo cleared his throat, holding his hands in front of him and preparing for his announcement:

"_Dreams like a podcast,_

_Downloading truth in my ears._

_They tell me cool stuff."_

Apollo watched smugly as realization registered in Percy's features.

"Apollo?" he guessed. _He knew it was me thanks to that amazing haiku, _Apollo thought happily. The god put a finger to his lips dramatically.

"I'm incognito," he said in a hushed tone. "Call me Fred." Percy raised an eyebrow.

"A god named Fred?"

Apollo shrugged. "Eh, well...Zeus insists on certain rules. Hands off, when there's a human quest. Even when something really major is wrong." He became serious. "But nobody messes with my baby sister. _Nobody._" And how true it was.

Percy's eyes showed hopefulness. "Can you help us, then?" Apollo mentally cursed. Did this kid _want _Zeus to catch him?

"Shhh," he said. "I already have. Haven't you been looking outside?" Something must have clicked inside Percy's mind again.

"The train. How fast are we moving?"

Apollo chuckled. "Fast enough. Unfortunately, we're running out of time. It's almost sunset. But I imagine we'll get you across a good chunk of America, at least." Percy released a contained breath.

"But where is Artemis?" he asked suddenly. Apollo's face darkened, and he tried to stay strong for the sake of the curious demigod.

"I know a lot, and I see a lot," he began. "But even I don't know that. She's...clouded from me. I don't like it." _Not one bit_.

"And Annabeth?" Percy's voice revealed that he was more concerned about the safety of this girl than he should be, but Apollo wasn't going to tease him. He was no Aphrodite.

"Oh, you mean that girl you lost?" Apollo asked after frowning. "Hmm. I don't know." Percy looked as if he were about to punch the god in the face, but he obviously knew that would be a bad move.

"What about the monster Artemis was seeking?" Percy asked. "Do you know what it is?"

"No," Apollo said. "But there is one who might. If you haven't yet found the monster when you reach San Francisco, seek out Nereus, the Old Man of the Sea. He has a long memory and a sharp eye. He has the gift of knowledge sometimes kept obscure from my Oracle."

"But it's _your _Oracle!" the stubborn demigod protested. "Can't you tell us what the prophecy means?" Apollo sighed.

"You might as well ask an artist to explain his art, or ask a poet to explain his poem," he replied. "It defeats the purpose. The meaning is only clear through the search." Percy didn't look convinced.

"In other words, you don't know."

Dammit.

Apollo checked his watch nonchalantly. "Ah, look at the time! I have to run. I doubt I can risk helping you again, Percy, but remember what I said! Get some sleep! And when you return, I expect a good haiku about your journey!"

The half-blood opened his mouth to protest, but Apollo snapped his fingers, and as he disappeared he knew Percy was falling into a deep sleep – dreams promised.

He had absolutely no doubt that his twin would be safely returned to him – and to everyone else...but mostly him.

And the first thing he would do was crash her in a hug, then recite a haiku about how glad he was to have her back.

* * *

**End Note: If Apollo was _my _older brother, I'd die...of happiness!**

**Sorry again for the wait (I _promise _I was working on it) and I'd love for you to review with any comments or critiques. :)**

**-Chelsea**


	15. Advice

**A/N: A short one, and not my best work, but I still like it. It takes place after The Titan's Curse, when Artemis finds out that Aphrodite was behind Phoebe's condition. I thought _that _would prove interesting...and if you add in Apollo, it would be TiVo-worthy! :)  
**

* * *

_~advice~_

* * *

Artemis stormed up an Olympian pathway, passing her twin brother as he sat with his lyre on a park bench. Catching sight of his sister, Apollo jumped up and playfully danced to her side. The goddess didn't acknowledge him – she simply continued glaring and kept stomping forward. Apollo smirked, matching her pace and leaning forward to catch her eye. She still didn't look at him.

"Where are we off to in such a hurry now, little sister?" he asked teasingly, poking her forearm. The moon goddess muttered under her breath and didn't bother to swat Apollo's hand way.

"I'm going to kill her," she finally snapped, kicking her speed up a notch. Her silver eyes were glinting with hatred, and her beautiful face was set in a determined scowl. Apollo's eyes widened, and he spun immediately to place himself in front of her, placing one hand on each of her shoulders so that she had no choice but to stop.

"Whoa, slow down a sec," he said. "You're going to kill _who_?" Artemis struggled in his grip and tried her absolute hardest to work her way around him, but gave up with a disgruntled sigh after a moment.

"For Gaea's sake, Apollo, _move_!" she urged, pushing him hastily. Apollo stumbled backwards for a few steps before steadying himself by placing a hesitant hand on her shoulder. Artemis pushed his hand away and walked quickly towards the green, rolling hills of Olympus. Apollo hurried after her, snaking an arm around her waist.

"Stop!" he insisted, lifting her into the air briefly before placing her on her feet again. All the while, she was clawing at her brother's arm and kicking his shins with as much force as necessary.

"Let me go!" she growled, and he wheeled her around to face him.

"What are you up to, Artemis?" he asked exasperatedly. "I don't mean to upset you even more, but you do have quite a...temper, and you're known to take things to extremes." His expression was concerned and brotherly, but Artemis was too angry to notice.

"It's none of your business, brother!" she argued. "I've got some...personal things to take care of, if you don't mind." She made to walk again, but Apollo caught her arm.

"Oh, but I do," he said sarcastically, resulting in a swat on the arm. "Listen, Artemis, I know you're angry about...well, whatever, but acting rashly isn't going to help you in any way."

"Don't be so sure."

"I can't help it, I'm all-knowing," Apollo joked, winking. Artemis sighed.

"Why do you feel so strongly about this, Apollo?" she asked, shooting him a look. He crossed his arms and pursed his lips, watching her sternly.

"I don't want you getting into any trouble over something stupid," he answered honestly. "I trust you completely, but you are who you are, and sometimes things get out of hand...am I right?" Artemis glanced down and nodded. "Okay; so you _have _to tell me what's going on."

"When Atlas kidnapped me," she began, resulting in a pained expression from Apollo, "and the quest was given, one of my huntresses – Phoebe – was excluded. She had fallen ill from poison, and everyone assumed it was another prank pulled by the Hermes campers. Well, it was much more. A _higher power _pulled the joke." Apollo cocked his head to the left.

"Hermes? Playing a juvenile prank like that one? Are you sure?" he asked, but Artemis was shaking her head in annoyance before he even finished.

"Not Hermes, you idiot," she said. _"Aphrodite. _That insufferable slut. Who does she think she is?"

"Why would Aphrodite do that?" Apollo asked. "I mean, I know she doesn't exactly get along with you and the girls, but what kind of immature-"

"It's that Percy Jackson, and his 'special friend', Annabeth Chase," Artemis said, waving them away. "Apparently they're 'just adorable' and she couldn't resist helping him to sneak onto the quest in some way so that he could save her. Pathetic, if you ask me. I mean, how belittling to females! Romance and whatever else...oh, I could _vomit_-"

"Sister!" Apollo interrupted. "That's quite enough. If you know what's good for you, do _not _attack Aphrodite. I know you hate her, and you two have been going back and forth for millennia, but hurting her could mean severe punishment."

"I don't care," Artemis growled. "I'm furious! I'll murder that horrific _whore_, if it's the last thing I do!"

"And it might be!" he reminded her.

"I don't care!" she repeated. "Out of my way, Apollo. You're such a nuisance."

"Don't do it, Artemis," he demanded. "Nothing good will come of it."

"Again – why do you care?"

"If you're banished from Olympus, or worse, sent to Tartarus, I'll lose you!" he snapped.

"Oh, don't go sappy on me now," Artemis hissed, but her voice cracked and a bit of emotion sounded through.

"What do I have to do to get you to listen?" Apollo snapped.

"Nothing, because I won't!"

"You're setting yourself up for disappointment, sister," he said. "I do hope you know that."

"And I do hope you know that you're awfully annoying!" Artemis spat.

"You aren't listening to a word I'm saying!"

"Likewise!"

"I'm hearing you, Artemis, and I'm not believing my ears."

"Maybe because your ears are deceiving you - tricking you into thinking that I need your two-cents thrown in."

"I think you do."

"I _know _I don't."

"Why can't you just-"

"_Move_, Apollo!"

"-listen to me for _once _in your godly existe-"

"You arrogant fool!"

Apollo ran a hand through his blond hair, frustrated, before locking eyes with his sister.

"Please, please don't overreact, Artemis," Apollo begged. "I love you far too much to watch you be defeated that easily...to simply sit back and watch you fall." His blue eyes were careful, his voice soft and caring. The goddess sighed, giving in to her brother's kind words.

"I'm going to tell her off," she said. "Want to watch?" She smirked playfully, and Apollo chuckled.

"That's my baby sister-" She glared warningly. "-as always." He kissed her on the cheek, and they locked arms, dancing off to find Aphrodite together.

* * *

**End Note: Have I mentioned that _I love them_?**

**-Chelsea**


	16. Homecoming

**AN: I love you guys for not begging for updates every second of every day…even though I beg myself to update. My excuse this time? A laptop malfunction. No, really – I'm typing this using my parents' laptop. Hmmph. **

_~homecoming~_

_(Thought I'd insert a quote from my friends, Lauren and Rachel, right about here. Rachel's older sister, Elizabeth [EB], left for college about a week ago, and Rachel was crying when she came to school. Lauren has two older brothers, Johnny and Derrick…_

_**Rachel: I cried so hard when EB left, guys. I got makeup on my dad's shirt!**_

_**Lauren: I wish I liked **_**my **_**brothers that much!**_

_It reminded me of this story, for some odd reason! Moving on!)  


* * *

_

It was extremely difficult to think that it was all over – for now. Percy Jackson and company had rescued her, along with the daughter of Athena whose name, Artemis remembered, was Annabeth. She was no longer holding up the sky, being crushed by its weight. Her knees felt as if they could buckle any second now, and she was unbelievably weary. Olympus was not one of the places she desired to go _most _right now, but she had to do what she had to do.

Her silver sleigh landed softly, and she hopped out with a sigh, missing her usual energy. _Energy – _she couldn't help but think of Apollo upon hearing the word.

She wondered how he'd been faring – they were always very close – but then decided that it was arrogant of her to assume that he'd missed her immensely; that, however, wasn't to say that she'd be okay with it had it been _him_. She shook her head as if to rid herself of the thought and entered the Great Hall, not even bothering to hide how tired she was.

As expected, the gods were seated at their rightful places, and the satyr Grover Underwood sat beside the Ophiotaurus silently.

"Greetings, family," Artemis sighed halfheartedly, ignoring the sympathetic looks she received in return from some of them. Apollo, of course, wasted no time in scooping his twin sister into a hug. She patted his back and squirmed to be free. "Apollo, I can't move."

He pulled back, wearing that cocky grin of his – except this time, it wasn't cocky. It was almost _relieved_. Perhaps he really was glad to have her back, safe and sound.

A loud clearing of the throat startled them both. Zeus, who was trying to appear stern, was actually watching his twin children with kind eyes and trying not to smile.

"Apollo and Artemis, please take your seats." They shuffled to opposite sides of the room, Artemis with the goddesses and Apollo with the gods – but he never stopped watching her. Hermes grinned at him knowingly – Apollo was, as always, coming off as the protective older brother. Apollo scoffed quietly and fished his iPod out of his pocket, plugging the ear buds into each of his ears. He glanced at Hermes as if to say, _See? _

But really, the music stayed paused. How could he even _think _of music at a time like this? He thumbed the keypad nonchalantly, rolling his thumb in circles – pointlessly increasing and decreasing the volume. He glanced at Zeus, who was beginning to speak.

"Artemis, my daughter, if you would recap the events that led to your kidnapping in the order that they happened…and proceed to tell the rest of the story."

Apollo's worried blue eyes flashed to Artemis, who looked, as always, official and professional from her silver throne. She caught his eye and smiled kindly at him before beginning.

She bravely recalled the entire happening – from the terrifying moment of her capture, to her relief upon seeing Atlas carrying his burden once more. She glanced back and forth between Zeus and Aphrodite for the most part – Zeus because she was addressing _him _first and foremost, and Aphrodite to see if any ounce of sympathy was apparent on the seemingly heartless goddess' face (none was).

Sometimes, however, she caught sight of Apollo's pained expression, and she wasn't sure whether she should feel flattered or annoyed – either way, she blushed furiously. _He was so overprotective; how embarrassing! _Her twin didn't seem to notice, though, and he stayed concentrated on her words.

As she reached the point in the story mainly involving Luke Castellan, son of Hermes and minion of Kronos, all of the gods became far more interested. Even the shallow Aphrodite seemed eager. When she reached the end of her story, all of the gods' expressions were solemn, and the room was quiet.

"Who does that _brute_ Atlas think he is?" Apollo finally insisted. "The next time I see him, I'm going to-"

"Apollo," Zeus said levelly. "Let's not be too hasty. What Atlas did was indeed immoral, but now we must focus on the best possible way to face these problems." Artemis swallowed hard.

"I forgot to mention something else," she piped quietly, ignoring the stinging sensation arising in the back of her eyes. All eyes were on her now, and she spoke slowly. "Zoë Nightshade is dead."

Apollo gasped. His sister turned to face him solemnly, and he shook his head.

"Ar..Artemis," he breathed. "I'm…sorry." Artemis wiped away a measly tear and turned back to her father.

"Well," Zeus began seriously, "I'm sorry for your loss, my daughter. Unfortunately, there isn't anything I can do…I suppose you'll be choosing a new lieutenant."

"Yes," she replied. "In fact, I already have one in mind…"

* * *

After the council meeting, a party was held in celebration of the safe return of Artemis and the others. Artemis sat, watching Hephaestus approach Aphrodite as she swore _nothing _was going on between Ares and herself. Artemis snorted – good, let Aphrodite suffer.

A warm hand closed around her shoulder, and she glanced upwards calmly. Apollo bit his lip, smirking slightly as Ares growled menacingly at the fire lord, whilst Aphrodite was stuck in the midst. Artemis laughed quietly as Apollo took a seat next to her.

"It's good to have you back," he said, patting her knee.

"It's good to _be _back," she sighed. She glanced over at Thalia, her new lieutenant, as she laughed and joked with her friends. Apollo smiled as he noticed the direction of her gaze.

"She's a keeper," he joked, and she elbowed him.

"She's very brave," Artemis commented.

"But she's no Zoë," he said knowingly. Artemis forced her eyes shut.

"She _will _serve me well, Apollo," she insisted. "I have no doubts. Besides, Zoe and Thalia do not share the same personalities."

"Yeah, I know – they argued."

"Scarcely!" Artemis defended. Apollo shot her a knowing look. She sighed again. "Yes, they argued whenever they were near. But, they were sisters in the last hour of Zoë's life." She nodded once – quickly and defiantly. Apollo laughed.

"Well, as long as you're happy, I'm happy," he said.

"Since _when_?"

Apollo nudged her playfully, and she rolled her eyes in return. She watched Thalia wrap Annabeth in a big hug before continuing.

"Apollo?"

"Yes, sister?" She swallowed - she couldn't believe she was actually about to _ask _him something this stupid.

"Did...well, I'm not trying to sound conceited, but I was just wondering if you missed me?" she asked hurriedly. "It's okay if you didn't. It's just that I really missed _you_, and I thought that twins, you know, had the same emotions sometimes - well, just when it comes to big things like this - and I'm sorry if I sound really stupid, but-"

"Are you crazy? Of course I missed you!" Apollo hugged her tightly to him. "In fact, I actually broke a rule." Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"What rule?" she insisted. Apollo winked.

"Let's just say the demigods could use a little help with their quests now and again - _especially _when it comes to finding _my _baby sister."

"I'm your older sister," Artemis argued - this argument was annual.

"But if I told Atlas to watch out or he'd face the wrath of Artemis' _little _brother, I'd sound pathetic," he countered. "Not threatening at all. I call you my baby sister because...well, you're pretty much _twelve_, and I want people to know that I'm not incapable of protecting you." Artemis sighed.

"I don't need your protection, idiot!" Apollo chuckled

"Yeah, really good to have you back," he whispered again, and Artemis smiled.

"Care to dance?" she suggested.

"My pleasure."

* * *

**End Note: You know the drill – thanks for reading, reviews appreciated, yadayadaya…(:**

**~Chelsea**


	17. A Little Talk

**A/N: And so, in response to **_**dctwi-fan's **_**suggestion, I have written this one-shot on Apollo and Daphne! It should have been quite obvious to me, since I'd already completed the task of Artemis/Orion, but eh. What more do you expect from **_**me**_**? Oh, wait…I forgot you guys don't actually know me! (:**

From _dctwi-fan _in response to _Chapter 16, Homecoming: _

"_**Apollo and Artemis are my favorite Olympians and I love this story so much :) since u did a one shot with orian and Artemis maybe u should do something with Apollo and Daphne..." **_

Tah-dah! (I think I did better with the Orion one – especially since Apollo liked/likes _way _more girls than Daphne, thus giving him more resilience.)

* * *

_~a little talk~  


* * *

_

"Why are you even here?" Artemis snapped, clenching and unclenching her fists. Her untidy auburn-brown hair stuck up every which way, and though her eyes, the color of the moon, showed no hint of silliness, Apollo found it hard to take her seriously. _Very _hard.

He reached out and gingerly removed a microscopic bit of a green leaf from her hair, using only his thumb and forefinger. Artemis growled.

"Whoa, sis!" Apollo exclaimed, taking a step back from his angry sister. "You've been spending a little too much time around your animal friends, I've noticed."

"Oh, would you just stop?" Artemis huffed, forcing Apollo's hand away. With a wave of her hand, her hair was combed and tidy. "See? All better. Oh, Apollo, you're exasperating."

"What?" Apollo protested. "You were _dirty_."

"Yes – that tends to happen when you _hunt_!" Artemis waved her arms around pointedly. Apollo pulled a face.

"It was disgusting," he complained.

"You sound like Aphrodite now," Artemis replied.

"So basically, you're calling my voice beautiful – thanks."

Artemis slapped her brother on the back of the neck, leaving a red-and-white print in the shape of her small hand.

"So why are you here?" she asked again. Apollo exhaled through his mouth, and then cocked a half-grin at his 'little' sister.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on your new lieutenant," he replied, playfully nudging her shoulder. Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" she asked – the look on her face clearly said, _I'm not stupid_. "Really? Apollo, it's half past midnight. We're in the middle of the forest. And you're telling _me_ that you came here to talk about Thalia?" Apollo didn't speak. "Right. Shouldn't you be out sleeping with mortals or something?" This resulted in a light, cheerful laugh from Apollo, which was replaced by a nostalgic sigh all too soon.

"Okay, so maybe that's not _exactly _the reason," the god of the sun admitted. "But it is concerning Zeus' girl – well, you know, sort of." Artemis seemed thoroughly entertained.

"Sort of?" she repeated, her tone amused. Apollo nodded.

"Sort of," he repeated. He closed his eyes. "I want to talk about Daphne, Artemis." Artemis' eyes widened.

"What?" she hissed – the subject was a touchy one for both of them. She cleared her throat, embarrassed at her outburst. "I'm…sorry. Just…okay, but what does Daphne have to do with Thalia?"

"Pretty girl. Apollo likes. Turned to tree." Apollo counted these statements – if you could call them that - off on his fingers.

"When you speak in broken English, you sound like a toddler," Artemis scoffed.

"Stop putting it off," Apollo insisted, his expression stern, as if he were scolding a kindergartener for eating excessive amounts of sweets.

"Oh, is wittle Apollo twying to be mature wike his sissy?" Artemis provoked, shuddering inwardly as she imagined that she'd just traded personalities with her _twin_.

"Artemis," Apollo began levelly, "please. We need to talk about this. We've been putting it off for too long now."

"Tell me about it," Artemis muttered, but she straightened her posture anyway. "Okay, where do we start?" Apollo sighed.

"I loved her," he admitted.

"You _wanted _her – in bed," Artemis corrected, rolling her eyes. Apollo blushed.

"Maybe," he said. "But whatever it was, she was important to me. And you…you had to keep her away from me."

"She didn't want you, Apollo!" Artemis protested. "It would have been rape." Apollo narrowed his eyes.

"She was turned to a _tree_," he hissed. "Do you know how hard it is to – well – with a tree?" Artemis didn't answer - she was busy contemplating the sheer idiocy that was her brother. "Of course you wouldn't, Miss Eternal Virgin."

"Let's not forget that you did your best to _protect _that status," Artemis reminded him. His face hardened.

"That was completely different than what happened to Daphne."

"Sure it was," Artemis spat. "You tricked me into killing Orion, but I didn't kill Daphne, brother. She still thrives."

"As a freaking tree!" Apollo inhaled and exhaled slowly, biting his thumbnail. "I only had Orion killed to protect you. Had you lain with a man, you would have died."

"Well then, I was protecting Daphne," Artemis argued.

"From _what_?"

"From you!"

"She didn't need protecting – it was only me," Apollo insisted.

"Exactly!" Artemis responded. "It was _you_. No wonder she was so frantic."

"Well, maybe if you would have taken a moment to think, you would have seen that we were perfect for each other."

"Yes, and maybe I would have kicked myself for putting off her rescue for so long."

"I can't believe you're not at least _trying _to see my side of the story!"

"Oh, trust me, I've been trying," Artemis snapped. "And all I've been seeing is a foolish pursuit initiated by a lust-filled god in which an innocent maiden fell prey."

"That's not it at all," Apollo sighed. "Artemis, you know I could never be angry with you, but you're pushing it right now. All I ask is that you recognize how much I actually cared for her." Artemis sighed.

"Apollo, though we bicker every time we _see _each other, it isn't as if I wish to argue," she explained calmly. "Daphne was terrified, brother! Don't you realize that? She was running _away _from you. What more did you need to be shown that you weren't desired? Apollo, I will recognized that you cared for Daphne, but I will also remind you that your behavior wasn't exactly…mature. No offense."

"None taken; thank you, sister."

And so he was grinning again. Artemis gagged.

"Can't you do anything but _smile_, Mr. Sunshine?"

"Sorry," Apollo joked, "I really can't help it. Especially not when I've been gifted with such a loving, adorable sister like yourself!" He reached out to ruffle her hair and she snapped at him with even, white teeth*. Apollo simply laughed and decided on wrapping an arm around her instead, though she didn't fancy this gesture much, either. She frowned, but after a moment her expression lightened.

"Apollo?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

* * *

**End Note:**

***-TTC reference, anyone? :D **

**I'm supposed to be writing an essay in order to apply (and hopefully get into) for a really good high school, but I have writer's block with **_**that**_**. I guess it only works for things I enjoy writing, huh?  
**

**-Chelsea**


	18. Not On My Watch

**A/N: My deepest apologies for my prolonged absence. I hate to admit it, but yes, my laptop is damaged beyond repair, so until I get a new one – that'll be until **_**Christmas, **_**gods! – my updates will be even farther apart (obviously it takes a while to actually **_**write **_**something, but I'll have to wait even longer to post it).**

**Apollo is the hunk of Olympus, Aphrodite the whore. It's bound to happen sometime, right?**

**I personally think this one is all over the place, but I still like it. So, without further adieu…**

* * *

_~not on my watch~  
_

* * *

Apollo hadn't been to visit for days now – which, undoubtedly, made Artemis happy. It was only when the truth was revealed that Artemis made any attempt to put Apollo back on his regular 'bug sister, flirt with mortal girls' schedule.

Originally it had been hard for her to decipher. Why would he do this? What was he thinking?

But after giving it some thought, Artemis understood. At least, she thought she did, and if what she was thinking was correct, she really couldn't let this happen.

Call her idea crazy (insane, foolish, ludicrous, if you will), but she didn't see what else there was to do. It wasn't as if she could simply wish away the problem – no, she had to take action…and if no matter what she decided to do, someone would be hurt, she should at least go with the most logical game plan available.

According to Thalia, that would be to just mind her own damn business.

Obviously, the demigod daughter of Zeus wouldn't purposely speak to an all-powerful goddess in that manner. She spoke politely (as was expected), but Artemis inferred that what she really meant was the aforementioned.

"Erm, Lady Artemis, not that I'd know anything about your brother's affairs," she paused to rub vigorously at her face, as if the scarlet blush that had appeared there would wipe away as easily as mud or grime, "but perhaps the best thing to do would be to simply ignore this whole thing – you know, let it blow over."

Artemis frowned, then asked, "Do you mean that I should let Apollo go through with this?"

Thalia shrugged. "Why not? I don't think it's the wisest choice he's ever made, but it surely won't hurt anyone."

"It could!" Artemis protested, the stress of her own brother's stupidity transforming what was meant to be a simple statement into a bitter snarl. Thalia flinched, then decided it best not to argue her point any further (skilled decision-maker that she was).

"Sorry, milady, you're probably right," she mumbled, but by now Artemis was speaking again.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Thalia," she sighed. "I see where you are coming from. I really do. It's just that if this affair leads where I think it might…I can't sit back and do nothing. I can't." Thalia nodded grimly.

Artemis should have taken her lieutenant's advice. However, the Apollo in her kicked in. She couldn't help but rush to her twin's aid. She couldn't just let it _blow over_, because every time she allowed these predicaments to do so, it seemed like the 'helpful wind' that seemingly washed away everyone's problems only acted on instinct, and piled them into dunes like it did with the miniscule grains of sand on the beach. That, to her, only seemed to make things worse.

She wasn't being nosy.

But Apollo _wasn't _going to sleep with Aphrodite.

* * *

"Are you off your rocker?"

Hermes eyed Artemis questioningly, carefully chewing and swallowing the chunk of apple he had taken into his mouth.

"I'm…quite on it, thank you very much!" Artemis replied, nodding defiantly. Hermes laughed at the question in her voice. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the half-eaten apple into the air. It somersaulted once and landed in his palm. Artemis raised an eyebrow. Hermes mimicked her.

"What?" he asked, smirking devilishly.

"Are you going to talk to me, or play with your fruit?" Artemis snapped. Hermes seemed to ponder this.

"Well, the apple doesn't talk back…and it's sane…"

"Hermes!"

The messenger god chuckled.

"You know I'm joking," he teased. "Anyway, like I was saying before, your idea is completely insane."

"But I have to help Apollo!" Artemis insisted, stamping her foot like a three-year-old.

"Funny," Hermes murmured, examining his apple as if it were the most intriguing thing he had ever seen.

"What?" Artemis asked sharply. Her gleaming silver eyes challenged Hermes. He blinked.

"Well, it's just that when Apollo tries to help you, you seem…annoyed." Hermes had, by now, reduced his apple to a yellow core. He tossed it over his shoulder (Artemis pulled a disgusted face) and smirked.

"Yes, that's because I am quite able to take care of myself," she replied. Hermes raised an eyebrow pointedly. Artemis pause, Hermes waiting as the information sunk in. Artemis frowned.

"But Apollo _adores _me," she thought aloud. "He's a lot more optimistic than me, too. He won't discourage me from helping him."

"Artemis," Hermes sighed, "this is Aphrodite you're dealing with. You know her tendency to frustrate people…you can't be sure that you brother's happy-go-lucky attitude will stay intact."

"Nothing can destroy Apollo's attitude," the moon goddess announced proudly.

"Except maybe anyone who takes it upon themselves to mess with his 'baby sister'," Hermes muttered. Artemis' brow furrowed.

"Is that what he calls me? Oh, that _has _to stop!"

And with that, she marched away, still completely convinced that her plan was foolproof.

* * *

Aphrodite's temple was empty, and Artemis could hear only silence from where she stood behind a pillar, waiting impatiently for the two gods she'd been plotting against to arrive. She had already recited her plan to herself a million and one times. Apollo's love for his twin sister was no joke, and so this should be a cinch.

Artemis wasn't an incredible actress, but when you have the god of the arts as your sibling, you pick up on some things. She would simply throw herself at Apollo, sobbing uncontrollably (she would have to make it as believable as possible). As soon as Apollo saw how upset he was making his sister, he was bound to see it her way…she hoped.

She practiced conjuring up tears for a few more minutes before Apollo came strolling into the temple, arms locked with none other than the goddess of love herself. Her red-orange hair was flowing loosely around her shoulders, and she was definitely wearing a bit too much makeup (definite understatement). The two gods halted upon reaching the oversized statue of the goddess of love in the center of the temple. Artemis watched with disgust as Apollo placed a hand on each of Aphrodite's hips and hoisted her onto the platform of the gigantic statue, which was three feet off the ground. Artemis couldn't help but scoff quietly – how conceited did they come?

Aphrodite released a girly giggle as the sun god leaned in and pressed his warm lips to her throat, smirking as he did so. Artemis gagged. Go time.

Apollo had already worked his way up Aphrodite's neck and he was now tracing her perfectly molded jaw with lust-filled kisses. Artemis took a breath, then let out an agonized moan that she hoped didn't sound as staged as she imagined it did.

The diversion worked – Apollo and Aphrodite stopped their assumed make-out session to snap their necks around wildly, searching for the spy. Artemis stumbled into view, red-faced and teary eyed, astonishing the unsuspecting lovers.

"So it's true," she choked out, purposely making it out to be as dramatic as she could manage. "I'm not one to get involved with rumors, but this one is true."

Apollo and Aphrodite looked flabbergasted, to say the least. They were both blushing vibrant red. No one said anything for awhile. The only sound that could be heard was Artemis' fake sobs echoing around the temple.

"There – there's rumors?" Aphrodite managed finally, sounding as confused as she looked. Artemis turned to the shaky goddess, fixing her with an unforgiving glare.

"Yes," she cried hatefully. "Not that you needed telling, though. You've probably instigated them." When Aphrodite appeared taken aback, Artemis turned to her brother.

"How could you, Apollo?" she asked miserably. "You know Aphrodite and I were never on good terms. And here, I find you sneaking off to…rendezvous with her!"

The saddest part it all was that Artemis could practically smell her bad acting. However, Apollo seemed convinced, so she wasn't about to complain.

"Artemis…" He was studying her with sad eyes. She looked up at him hopefully, silver tears blurring her vision.

"Yes?" she asked hoarsely, her voice barely a whisper.

The last thing she expected was for an amused smirk to appear on her brother's face.

"Bravo!" he whooped, clapping loudly and rhythmically. Artemis paused, confused "Great job, sis. Your acting needs work, though – tons. Don't you pay any attention when I give my rants on modern day theater and the horrible condition it's in? Yes, you're one of those actors right now – very mediocre, but there's at least hope for you."

Artemis, realizing her brother had seen right through her the entire time, sniffled pathetically and wiped her eye.

"What are you talking about?" she insisted falsely. She put a hand to her heart theatrically. "This is genuine and heartfelt."

Apollo grimaced. "Not much better, honestly." Artemis huffed, but Apollo just gave his usual cocky grin. "Run along now, little sister. I've got business to attend to."

But as he spoke this, Aphrodite was fuming.

"You nasty bitch!" she screeched, glaring at Artemis.

That did it.

Apollo's face reddened, and he wheeled around, blue eyes alight with fury. Aphrodite didn't flinch away from his gaze, though he took a step forward and glared down at her

"Excuse me?" he spat. Aphrodite pointed an accusing finger at Artemis, who couldn't help but think that having an overprotective brother had saved her ass numerous times.

"She tried to sabotage our…meeting!" Aphrodite protested, waving her manicured finger around dramatically. Apollo closed his eye and took a deep breath. He didn't reopen them as he spoke.

"You have three seconds to get the hell out of here before I hit you so hard that your pretty little face will become about as attractive as your husband's," he said.

"You can't hit females, Apollo," Aphrodite replied. "Ask your sister," she added with a sneer.

"One," Apollo warned.

"But that's not fair! This is my temple!"

"Two," Apollo continued, as if he were warning a young child.

"You can't be serious-"

"Three!"

But Aphrodite had already fled, leaving only the strong scent of champagne and perfume behind. Apollo turned to his sister.

"You realize you could've gotten her killed, right?" he asked. Artemis rolled her eyes.

"Good – who needs her?"

Apollo chuckled, enclosing her in a protective hug – and Artemis thought that maybe Apollo would be sleeping alone tonight, after all.

* * *

**End Note: A friend of mine asked why I pictured Aphrodite as a red-head, and the answer is because of the painting of her…which I don't know the name of... O_O**

**Anyway, I do have a lot of reviews, which I am deeply grateful for, so thank you (I realize those two words are not enough to express full gratitude, but this is the internet – if you were in front of me in person, I would hug you so hard that you stopped breathing). **

**(: **

**-Chelsea**


	19. Why Alcohol and Virginity Don't Mix

**A/N: My God, I haven't updated in so long. This one is especially T-rated (just a fair warning). By the way, I'm assuming Artemis is not in her twelve-year-old form for this one, but since I left it out, imagine her however you want.**

**Because really, how funny would it be to see a twelve-year-old drunk?  


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**

_~why alcohol and virginity don't mix~  


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_

It was just another of Dionysus' stupid parties, crowded with drunken idiots, repulsive and smelly. Artemis had never taken kindly to alcohol or riotous affairs, so it was surprising that she allowed herself to be ushered into the party by her insistent brother, who claimed that she "needed to get out more". The strong stench of wine and beer hit her like a bag of bricks, and she immediately clamped her hand over her nose and mouth while her eyes widened in horror.

"Apollo, this is awful!" she moaned, the sound muffled by her palm. "Why did you bring me _here_, for Zeus' sake?"

"You need to be exposed to the _real _world, Arty," Apollo said. "And quite frankly, spending all of your time in the woods with your little virgins isn't doing much for your learning experience." Artemis dropped her hand and glared at Apollo.

"What's there to learn?" she snapped. "That Dionysus is a drunken idiot? I think everyone's well aware of _that_. That you, along with most of the other male gods, would do anything to get laid? That's established as well. So tell me, brother, because I'm curious – what exactly am I taking from this experience?"

"The ability to have fun," Apollo replied simply. "Let loose. _Mingle_. It's not that hard to make friends, sis."

"I've plenty of friends," Artemis protested, "and I certainly wouldn't want to be in association with any of the imbeciles present." As if on cue, a minor godling who was very obviously intoxicated was staggering slowly, walking as if the ground was mined, when suddenly he collapsed, tripping on nothing but air. Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't say you had to _drink_," Apollo said. "And actually, I'm not going to let you. No way is _my _baby sister going to be put in any situation that could endanger her virginity. You can't think straight when you're wasted. The answer is simple. No." Artemis, though she hadn't wanted to be here in the first place, was seeing red.

"Are you assuming that you can just choose what I do or do not partake in?" she asked lividly. "I am not your child, Apollo. I am my own person. And if I want to drink, I will." She reached for one of the many glasses of wine that a nearby server was carrying atop a golden tray, but Apollo caught her wrist.

"I said no," he said, "and I meant it." The two didn't move for a moment, just stood glowering at each other. The server flushed and excused himself, backing away slowly and hurriedly running to the other side of the room. Artemis watched him leave indifferently. When she saw Apollo's determined eyes, the way his face was reddening out of anger, she almost smiled – now she had something against him. He had brought her here to have fun, and then put a limit on exactly how much fun she could have? She begged to differ. She would teach him not to force her into things. Drinking would never be her first choice, but she had to teach Apollo a lesson.

"Of course, brother," she lied smoothly. "I won't be drinking tonight. Do not worry. Go, have fun." She flashed him a genuine smile as he released his grip on her wrist and grinned at her, walking away.

* * *

It was hours later, and the goddess was bored out of her mind as she lounged on a futon, her feet tucked up under her, on her third glass of nectar. Though she'd spoken to hardly anyone but Apollo and Hermes since she arrived, she found it quite amusing to observe what was happening around her.

Zeus was flirting with as many women as possible, though Hera was livid at his arm. Dionysus was busy amazing everyone as he filled and refilled the glasses of the immortals around him. Perhaps the most amusing sight was that of a highly intoxicated Hermes, dashing over to Aphrodite and stumbling, in his drunken stupor, to say that he "had a package". The image of a shocked goddess of love and infuriated god of war replayed in Artemis' mind so many times that she earned strange looks from passers-by because of her obnoxious laughing.

Someone cleared their throat beside her, and Artemis glanced up to see the server from earlier. He was still holding the tray of wine.

"Would you care for a drink, Lady Artemis?" he asked, and she knew that he was doing her a favor after watching Apollo forbid it before. She adjusted her line of sight to see that Apollo was out cold on the floor across the room. He was pretty deep asleep. She figured she could at least get a few drinks in before he awakened and sobered. She turned back to the server and smiled gratefully, accepting the full glass of wine.

Artemis had never been drunk before, but the high was unbelievable. She didn't even feel stupid as she stumbled over her words, tripped numerous times, and spilled wine all over a minor goddess, who laughed it off. She was having an amazing time, and wondered why Apollo would ever deny her this. She had just emptied another wine glass and was dancing alone when a godling she didn't recognize approached her, wrapping an arm around her waist. Artemis automatically stiffened – she may have been drunk, but she still knew the boundaries. She pushed his arm from her waist and moved away a little.

"Don't be like that," the godling pleaded. "C'mon, let's dance." Artemis, too drunk to say anything now, shook her head defiantly and stood her ground. The godling approached her again and this time pulled her closer to him, disabling her ability to move. She struggled, but the alcohol had taken its toll on her brain. She couldn't think, she couldn't speak, her vision was blurry…

But she knew one thing – she was trapped. The godling had a vicelike hold on her, and she knew that, in her weakened state, she would not be the 'virgin goddess' for much longer. The godling just kept touching her, refusing to let her go. The pressure of his body against hers was beginning to become too much…

_Thud_. Suddenly, the pressure was gone, and Artemis' eyes allowed her to see very little except that the godling who had been harassing her was on the floor, ichor leaking from his nose and mouth. Apollo was in front of her, guarding her protectively, and it didn't go without Artemis' noticing that some of the ichor from the godling's face was coating Apollo's knuckles. The godling jumped up, startled, then fixed Apollo with an unforgiving glare. He charged at the sun god, only to be met with Apollo's hands closed tightly around the collar of his shirt. Artemis watched in horror as Apollo spoke in mutters to the godling. The crowd that had gathered to watch struggled to hear.

"Let's make one thing clear," Apollo spat. "You don't _touch _my little sister. No one does. Understood?" The godling nodded quickly, and was tossed aside without a second glance. The crowd scurried over to help him, and Apollo turned to Artemis.

Oh, if looks could kill.

"T-thank you," Artemis stuttered. Apollo shook his head and took Artemis by the hand, not saying anything. Artemis, never having had to endure the silent treatment from her loving Apollo, was again shocked. She said nothing either (even if she had been able to say more than two syllables) and allowed herself to be pulled along.

* * *

The next morning, Artemis woke in a sunlit room, the blinds pulled open to reveal a full view of Olympus. The room was decorated so brightly that Artemis wanted to shield her eyes. The walls were a golden color, along with most of the furniture and accessories – the lyre propped up against the wall next to the bow and arrows; the armchair by the window overlooking Olympus; the bookshelf stocked with sheet music and poetry books; and the bed she was in, the frame having been made out of gold that was twisted into a design like the sun. Even the comforter was silky and ochroid. Artemis was in Apollo's room at Olympus.

She sat up, but almost immediately lay back down. What was this pain? A merciless headache pounded her brain, her throat was infested with the taste of vomit, and the slightest sound made her clutch her head and beg for mercy. Now even the bright décor of Apollo's room seemed to irritate her. She buried her face in a silken pillow and waited until she heard the door to the room click open and shut. She cracked one eye open to see Apollo standing over her with a few pills and a half a glass of water in his hands. She sat up, winced at the pain, and accepted the medicine. When she had successfully swallowed all of the pills, she sat the empty glass of water on Apollo's bedside table and turned to face said brother.

He watched her wordlessly, and soon it became too awkward. She glanced around the room once more before asking, "Okay, what happened last night?" because she honestly didn't remember.

Apollo sighed. "You got drunk and some idiot was practically molesting you in front of everyone," he explained. "I had to fight him off." Artemis blushed as the memory came back to her.

"Oh, yes," she said softly. "Thank you, by the way." It was silent for a moment.

"I don't understand," Apollo said. "I asked you not to, and you did anyway. And do you see what happened?" Artemis nodded, shamed into silence. "It's ridiculous. It's insane. It's-"

"Stupid," Artemis finished. "I know. I should not have done it. I was angry at you because I thought you were just doing it to push me around…but you were doing it to protect me." Apollo nodded.

"Isn't that why I do everything?"

Artemis smiled. "I really am sorry, Apollo." Apollo sighed, sitting next to Artemis on the bed and hugging her.

"It's okay," he said as he kissed her forehead. "_Don't _let it happen again."

Artemis thought back to the disrespectful behavior of the godling, the disappointed face of Apollo, and the pangs of pain she'd received this morning due to her hangover.

"You've got yourself a deal, brother."

* * *

**End Note: That was fun! Happy Almost-Not-Really-Kinda-Sorta-Halloween!**

** -Chelsea**


	20. The One Who Makes Her Cry

**A/N: TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY! (: Yes, you heard me (um, read me?) right. November 17th. Remember it. Bake me a cake. Or…whatever.**

** This one is centered around Artemis, Apollo, and Leto, featuring Hera. I hate Hera. I really do. But in The Lost Hero, I loved her **_**'I-don't-care-about-you-because-you're-worthless-and-I'm-the-queen-of-the-heavens-but-my-life-is-still-miserable-so-woe-is-me' **_**attitude. And it's safe to say that I definitely had fun writing it…**

**

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**

_~the one who makes her cry~_

_

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_

It was always her name that aroused the sting of salty tears in Artemis' eyes. No one else could cause such misery to swell inside of her.

Leto.

She had, after all, raised her, along with her brother. She never let them out of her sight. She was _there _to be proud of the both of them when they were welcomed to Olympus by their father, and she was _there _for them through everything – until Hera's jealousy got the better of her.

Artemis couldn't stand but hate that witch – the wretched queen who had killed her mother. Irony was the only word that came to mind as she remembered that Hera was the goddess of _family_, of sticking together, of staying strong. How, then, had she deemed it appropriate to take away from the Letoides***** the only thing that kept them standing in place? Artemis imagined Hera's sickeningly joyful expression upon watching Leto die from the poison of Python. She imagined her thin black eyebrows curving upwards, her eyes widening in delight, and her hideously perfect lips forming a nasty grin as she saw her plan come to life…and she knew that Hera had enjoyed it. Her husband had been unfaithful, and she had taken it upon herself to strike down only one of the many women that Zeus had lain with – her sweet, her loving, and her beautiful mother – and she had been _enjoying _it. It was a vile realization.

This is exactly how Artemis recognized the gut feeling – that notion of absolute dread – when Hera mocked Leto's name.

It was just an annual council meeting, falling on the elongated day that was brought about by the summer solstice. Artemis had expected to be in and out of there before her Hunters even knew she had gone. Unfortunately for Artemis, she was never that lucky.

"…and that's why I say that every once in awhile, we spice up everyone's love lives with a little love magic," Aphrodite babbled. A harmonious sigh erupted from most of the other Olympians present. Aphrodite frowned. "What? Come on, everyone! It's hard, you know! I'm the goddess of love, and here, the world's suffering from lack of the aforementioned."

"That's a big word for someone like you," Athena muttered.

"That's a little immature, coming from someone whose ego – which, might I add, is the size of the Fields of Asphodel – insists upon maturity, intellect, and a gargantuan vocabulary," Aphrodite retorted.

"Well," came Hera's usual input, "I don't imagine it is as hard for you, Lady Aphrodite, as you claim it is. I am, after all, the goddess of marriage and family, and do you suppose anyone takes me seriously?" A period of silence answered Hera's rhetorical question – not brief enough to go unnoticed, and not long enough for Aphrodite or Athena to throw in any side comments. "Of course not! Who _would _think to take me seriously when my own husband does not have the mind to be faithful? I am but a fool in the eyes of the mortals!" She sighed pathetically, whilst her husband's eyes became alight with anger.

"You dare ridicule me, wife?" he boomed. Hera's eyes flickered to Zeus' angered face, but she appeared as nothing more than bored.

"I would think so, my _dear _husband," she replied nonchalantly, "for you often dare to ridicule me publicly without my complaint. It is time now that everyone knows of my misfortune."

"When, _wife_, have I ever publicly mortified you?" Zeus demanded. "Tell me now, and if your reasoning is adequate, I will speak not of your outburst again." Hera had the nerve to chuckle in the sky lord's face.

"When have thou disgraced me?" she laughed in a singsong way. "Let me list the various occasions. But oh, pity! I cannot. Perhaps, then, I will simply select one situation." Her eyes flickered to Artemis, then to Apollo, before returning to her husband. "I do seem to recall one of the only times I got my revenge. Leto – surely you remember _Leto_, husband?" She sneered. "The mother to your precious twins. Oh, I loathed the attention that woman brought to _me_. And so, I did away with her." She waved her hand in a circular motion, as if she were a witch (the irony!) casting a spell. Zeus' brows became knit together, and his face darkened.

"You know nothing of the love she-"

"Oh, save it!" Hera snapped irritably. "I know enough of her…_love_ to infer that she provided you with two _lovely _additions to the family." She smirked hatefully for effect. "That horrid, pathetic excuse for a woman deserved to-"

"How dare you speak of her in that way!" Artemis cried, her voice cracking with emotion. "After you killed her!"

The room went dead silent as Hera turned her cold-as-stone eyes on her stepdaughter.

"_You_."

"Of course it is me!" Artemis replied, struggling to keep her voice level. She could feel Apollo's worried eyes on her. She could also sense his building fury towards Hera. "You are only speaking of my _mother _in that manner, so of course it makes sense that I should not intervene. Correct, Queen Hera?" Hera narrowed her eyes at Artemis, who faced her determinedly, though her insides were turning to mush.

"You!" she roared in repetition, as if Artemis had made the mistake of not hearing her correctly the first time. "Oh, you sarcastic brat! I'll finish you as I finished your mother, and I'll finish your precious brother, too." Apollo tensed, but he was not watching Hera. His eyes were trained on his sister. He couldn't have her attacking the queen of the heavens…

"Calm yourselves!" Zeus bellowed, but his words had no effect on the heated argument between his wife and daughter.

"You view yourself as the perfect wife and mother, but really you are no more than a broken soul!" Artemis hissed.

"You have the ugly aura of your mother!" Hera spat. "No one cared for her, and no one cares for you. She was nothing! An absolute nonentity!"

"SILENCE!" Zeus howled, and the pavilion shook with his fury. Everyone's protests were silenced. The Olympians glanced nervously around, as if expecting everything to crumble around them.

Artemis knew that she was at her breaking point now, as Hera fired insult after insult. Those that attacked the moon goddess personally had no effect on her. She had had plenty of practice with those sharp words. Only now, her stepmother was speaking nastily of her beloved mother – the one that she had killed. Artemis had to leave…she had to find refuge somewhere. She couldn't let the others see the cracks in her supposedly tough exterior. She just couldn't.

_Murderer, _Artemis thought, then rose from her throne and disappeared in a flash of light. She heard her father shout her name, but she did not turn back. He would not punish her. She knew this because she assumed that he was just as infuriated by Hera's remarks about Leto as she and Apollo were.

Apollo. She wondered what he was thinking right now, if he was ashamed of her. She wondered if her mother would be ashamed of her.

She found herself on Delos. Delos, that had once been her home. She blinked back the tears that she knew would come sooner or later as she knelt down and scooped a handful of sand from the beach, studying the grains of sand individually, as if there was nothing that interested her more. The only flaw with that was that there was, in fact, something she would rather be thinking of. She sighed and let the miniscule grains of sand fall from between her fingers in narrow columns.

"I miss you, my mother," she whispered weakly. "More than you will ever know."

"That makes two of us."

The voice didn't startle her. It did not comfort her, either. It only amplified her longing.

"What do you want, Apollo?" she croaked miserably. She did not look up as he came to stand by her side.

"Oh, Artemis," he said softly. The melancholy was hanging in the air. Artemis could almost feel the small island groan with the effort of supporting the both of them. "We both miss her. So does Zeus. You aren't in the wrong here, sis."

"I was very much in the wrong back there," she sighed.

"You defended Mother," he insisted. "There's nothing wrong with that – not that I can see."

"I _yelled _at the queen, Apollo," she argued. "I'm afraid of what will happen when Zeus gets a hold of me…if _she _doesn't get to me first." When she looked up, Apollo was glaring.

"She won't," he promised in a low voice. "I won't let her." Artemis looked down again as the tears began rimming.

"Right, so you aren't angry with me," she whispered. "But…would Mother be?"

Silence. Had she said the wrong thing? But then…

"No, Artemis," Apollo insisted. "She wouldn't be. She might have pretended like it – you know how selfless she was – but honestly, sis, no one is mad at you."

"Except Hera," she said. "And Zeus."

The hesitance of his warm touch on her bare arm was only present for a moment before he pulled her into a hug.

"Hey, who cares?" he asked, speaking into her hair. "Who cares if Hera goes on a stupid rampage? Who cares if Dad is embarrassed and yells at you? Who really cares, Artemis? I don't. Mom wouldn't. You shouldn't." Artemis wiped her eyes on his shirt and pulled back from his embrace.

"Thank you, Apollo. Really."

He smiled gingerly down at her. "You don't have to thank me," he said. "But you _do _have to get your butt back to Olympus before Dad explodes it." Artemis managed an impish laugh.

Even if her mother had been killed by her oh-so-wicked stepmother…

Even if her father was ready to strike her down because of her actions…

Even if the queen of the heavens was out for blood…

Artemis could still find comfort in Apollo…because Leto was the only one who could make her cry, and she knew that Apollo could relate to that.

* * *

**End Note: :D **

***Artemis and Apollo are sometimes referred to as the 'Letoides,' for obvious reasons.**

**-Chelsea (WHO WILL BE FOURTEEN ON NOVEMBER 17TH OF 2010!)**


	21. Interference

**A/N: So. *laughs nervously* Remember me?**

_**Anywho, **_**I highly suggest you SKIP THIS CHAPTER if you have not yet read **_**The Lost Hero. **_**There are major, major, ****major**** spoilers for those of you who haven't.**

** AND RELAX.****There's plenty of time for you to read **_**The Lost Hero, **_**come back, and then read this chapter. I'll still be here, I promise. :)**

**

* * *

**

_~interference~_

_

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_

For the most part, she was confined to Olympus. That wasn't to say that she hadn't broken the rules already – because certainly she'd made contact with her Hunters. Yet it was very hard to conceal – she couldn't tell _anyone_, for fear that Lord Zeus would hear of it eventually; she had to remain very subtle and secretive about speaking to Thalia since most of Olympus was watching the demigods' progress; and most of all, she felt compelled to make certain that Thalia crossed paths with her brother.

It was almost too much.

Now, in the starlit haven of her temple on Olympus, she felt hidden and remarkably _safe_. She reclined against her marble throne, silvery eyes focused intensely on the moon-pool straight ahead of her. With a flick of her wrist, an image shimmered into view in the glistening moonlit water – the sight of her Hunters, sporting their signature parkas, and the demigods with the quest to save Queen Hera. She smiled softly as a shocked Thalia Grace hurriedly embraced the son of Jupiter, Jason Grace – _her brother_. But while the scene was touching, there were other things to worry about.

_"Aww." _A voice startled Artemis out of her reverie. "Isn't that _sweet? _Now see – why can't we hug like that?"

Though she was taken by complete surprise, she tried to hold her composure. "Because, brother – Jason Grace is not half as irritating as you are." And when she remembered that absolutely _no one _was meant to know of her interference with Thalia and the others, the huntress quickly bid the image to fade. "Apollo – how did you – why are you - "

Apollo gave her a look. "Honestly, sis – we're twins. I think I know when you're up to something."

Artemis narrowed her eyes. "I don't know what you mean."

"Artemis," he said warningly.

She sighed, defeated. _"Fine_, brother, you've caught me." She paused briefly. "I swear, if you mention this to _anyone - _"

Apollo raised his hands in surrender. "Relax. I wasn't planning on it," he promised. Artemis huffed.

"Yes, well, I'm not so sure," she replied, annoyed.

Apollo scoffed. "Okay then. Let's get back to watching the demigods – I've been looking for a nice show." He nudged her and squeezed into the throne beside her. She glared, moving over.

"They are _not _simply for your entertainment!" she insisted as he settled in to the throne, obviously uncomfortable.

"Right, just yours, then," he countered.

"Touché," she said.

When the image appeared again, Thalia was busy retelling the story of how she and Jason had been separated. Artemis shook her head solemnly. Of all the things her father - whether in Greek or Roman form - had ever done wrong (and there were plenty of happenings to choose from), offering up the life of one of his children to satisfy his wife was among the most sickening.

"I would _never _let anyone do that to _you_," Apollo growled. "Ever."

Artemis reddened. "This is no time for nonsense, Apollo."

"Hardly nonsense," Apollo muttered, but he silenced as Thalia finished recounting the story. Artemis willed the image to dissipate, unable to watch anymore. It was simply too depressing.

"Poor Thalia," she murmured. "She's only just been reunited with her brother, and soon enough they will have to go their separate ways again." She sighed briefly. "I feel so cruel, like the Ice Queen they say I am. It is as if I am torturing her, as a heartless person would."

"That isn't true, Artemis, and you know it," Apollo said sternly. "You gave her the opportunity to see him again, and that's the best thing you could have done for her. She hasn't seen him in so long, Artemis. She would be grateful even if she had only caught a _glimpse _of him. She would feel reassured just to know that her mother had lied, and he never died – that he was safe. I didn't get that opportunity when you went missing. I couldn't connect with you, _or _see you. I had to wait it out to see if you came out of everything unscathed and okay."

Artemis leaned into him. "You are far too good at this."

"At what?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Talking about things," she replied. "I almost forget about how annoying you actually are."

"…almost?"

"Don't push it," Artemis warned, though she was smiling at her twin brother's antics. The familiar chime of Apollo's jovial laughter was enough to push her fears for Thalia to the very back of her mind.

"I'm glad that I could be of assistance to you, little sister," he told her. She glared. "I mean, uh, sis." Another dirty look. "Okay, fine – _Artemis_." She smiled.

"Better," she admitted. "We're improving. Now, let's work on your _unplanned visits _and _sneaking up on me in my temple while I am in the middle of something very, very secretive and important!" _

"Whoops." Apollo shrugged. "I forgot." Artemis released him and rose from her throne.

"You _always _forget," she accused him.

"You _never _remind me!" he replied.

"It is not that hard to remember," she insisted.

"Easy for you to say – I have to _remember _a million things at a time," Apollo muttered.

"Oh – so you can remember your long, thought-out prophecies, but not my constant reminders to call me by my _name_, stay away from my Hunters, and leave me be?" Apollo smiled.

"You're so cute when you're angry, baby sis," he told her. "Now what happened to that sweet moment we just had?"

"It's gone, as is my tolerance," Artemis said bluntly. "Good day, brother." She disappeared in a flash of moonlight as Apollo sunk lower into her throne.

"Whatever. I'm staying here anyway."*****

**

* * *

**

***A little thing my brother and I currently have going. It's really kind of stupid, but we're cool like that. **

**e.g. Mom or Dad: You're not allowed to do that.**

** Us: *under our breath* Whatever. I'm doing it anyway. ;)**

**-Chelsea**


	22. County Fair

**A/N: This isn't my personal favorite because - though I adore their twin telepathy - I find the italics really, really annoying. But I wasn't sure how else to format it, so...*shrugs* **

**

* * *

**

_~county fair~_

_

* * *

_

Apollo really didn't like spying. Honestly. But it wasn't every day that he decided to check up on his little sister, only to be directed by her huntresses to a county fair in some small town near Lexington, Kentucky**(1)**. This was a relatively odd place for her to be, and who could blame him for being at least a little bit curious?

He pushed past huddles of rambunctious teenagers, crying children clinging to their mothers, and old men in overalls that smelled a little bit too much like horse manure. He navigated the throngs in search of his twin - she was here; he could sense her. It took him at least half an hour, in which he purchased two corn-dogs and snagged the numbers of three tan-legged Southern belles in denim shorts and cowgirl boots**(2)**, but eventually, he found her.

Artemis was conversing with a curly-haired boy, who was watching her with wide eyes and chattering animatedly, all the while displaying a painfully obvious pink blush across his boyish features. He looked a little worse for wear, with baggy jeans and an oversized t-shirt smeared with mud, accompanied by ripped sneakers. He couldn't fathom why Artemis spent her time with this weirdo, but Apollo could have sworn he heard her beautiful bell-like laughter.

Huh.

So Artemis was conversing with an obviously smitten boy, and she was laughing, and she hadn't killed him yet.

Oh, _hell _no.

Naturally, he had to intervene. What kind of older brother would he be if he didn't protect his baby sister from the raging hormones of guys much like himself?

_**A normal one.**_

_Shut up._

_Well, _he decided, _I don't have to come off as a _total _jerk_. He watched Artemis cautiously and used the always helpful twin telepathy to warn her.

Nicely.

_AHEM._

He saw Artemis stiffen, then try to carry on her listening while still mentally snapping back, _What do you want? Why are you here?  
_

He smirked and replied, _I don't think you're being all that wise right now._

Artemis turned to glare at him this time, which went unnoticed by her…friend. _What _are _you talking about, brother? Should I even ask? Do I even truly want to know? _She quickly turned her back to him and he sighed.

_Okay, I'll be frank_, he assured her. _I don't really think you should be chatting it up with your little _friend _there._

_And why ever not? _came her irritated response.

Apollo growled under his breath. _You know very well why not. Now stop it._

_Make me._

She really did enjoy pushing his buttons.

_Artemis, I swear on Delos. I will come over there._

_You're bluffing._

_Am not._

_Are too._

Apollo pressed his fingers to his temples, frustrated. He failed to understand why she must always be so stubborn, so willful. He saw her reach out and pat the boy on the arm, and his anger welled up inside him.

_ARTEMIS! _he hissed telepathically.

_WHAT? _she responded, that one word ringing in his mind. He'd tell her what. Oh, yes he would.

_No physical contact, _he insisted.

_What the bloody hell, Apollo. _

_You're on my last nerve, Artemis, _Apollo said evenly._ Right now. Stop talking. Come over here and sit with me or something. Or wait, scratch that. Go hang out with the girls. You know, kill some stuff. Or something. Just don't talk to…_

_Get. Out. Of. My. Head._

_Okay, _he agreed, and Artemis would have been mildly surprised if she hadn't spent the last millions of years with her brother and grown to know his antics. He wasn't finished. He'd never be finished; he was far too determined for that.

And just as she thought, he was at her side in a millisecond, placing an arm on her shoulders, and glaring at her friend pointedly.

"'Sup, sis?" he asked, without turning to face her.

"Your armpits are sweating. I'd appreciate you removing them from my shoulders."

Apollo only pulled her tighter against him and offered the boy a tight, forced smile. "Oh, that's my _baby sister_. Always making jokes. You're so funny, Arty, you know that?" Artemis pulled away from him.

"Apollo, what is _with _you today?"

Her friend's eyes widened in agreement.

"Nothing much," Apollo shrugged the question away. "So…who's your _boyfriend?"_

An awkward silence; a mortified moan.

"Oh, for Olympus' sake, brother - you _must _be joking," Artemis groaned, flashing her friend an apologetic glance. The teenager's face was now flushed, completely red - embarrassed, and…angry? Apollo blinked, turning to examine his sister for the first time since he'd interrupted the conversation she was having with her new companion.

"What?" Apollo insisted. More silence. "I…I was only _joking_. I know you're not dating him. That would be totally weird, and like…really…un-Artemis-like…erm…" Still no talking. Apollo looked from Artemis, to the livid boy, and back again. "You're not _dating _him, are you?"

"Apollo, _no, _I-"

"_Good," _he snarled. He turned to the boy. "I would _rip you _limb from limb. There would be no part of your puny, scrawny little figure left intact. I would then proceed to burn your dismembered body and blast every last atom to _little tiny pieces _and there would be no possible way to physically or emotionally reconstruct you, and if you think I'd stop there, you're wrong, because-"

"Apollo!" Artemis snapped. Her friend looked ready to strangle Apollo now, the only thing restraining him being Artemis' muscular arm in front of him, preventing him from lunging at the sun god. Apollo sneered.

"Apollo, meet Maria, my new huntress," Artemis said calmly.

_Oh, shit._

Upon further examination, Apollo could see that this figure was definitely female. Beneath her huge, baggy t-shirt, he could barely make out the rise and fall of her breasts, as she breathed rapidly. Her face was clear of makeup, but what with her hair being so ridiculously curly and short, Apollo hadn't seen the earrings that adorned her ears.

She was a girl. A very manly girl. Probably a daughter of Ares or something.

Apollo blanched. "Whoa, oh…um, sorry?" he tried. Maria narrowed her eyes, muttering something under her breath. "Seriously, I just saw short hair and baggy clothes and blushing, and I was like, _'Whoa, that guy's hitting on my little sis,' _and then I was all, _'Hell no, I'll kick his ass,' _and it didn't exactly help that Orion's hair was kind of like yours…" As if to prove his point, Apollo reached out and tugged on one of the mousy brown ringlets. It sprung and Apollo released a childish giggle. He went to go at it again, but Maria swatted his hand away.

"Sorry, Lady Artemis - but after this, I don't think I _want _to join the Hunt," she growled.

Artemis paled. "But…but why…?"

"If your brother visits regularly, I'd rather just go back to living in a cardboard box," she explained bluntly. She flashed Apollo a glare and turned to Lady Artemis. She gave an awkward curtsy. "Yeah…bye."

Artemis sighed impatiently and smacked her forehead. Apollo patted her back and tutted.

"Now sister dear, don't beat yourself up about this!" he begged her, gingerly taking her by the wrist and removing her palm from her face. Artemis looked up and raised an eyebrow after Apollo let go.

"You're right, brother," she agreed, giving a sweet smile. "It's so foolish of me. Come now." She pulled him into an embrace, and he returned the hug happily.

"Aw, sissy dear, you're so sw - OWWW!"

Artemis pulled the wedgie up higher and backed away from Apollo.

"I won't beat up on myself. I'll use _you_."

_Oh gods. Run._

"Get back here, Apollo! I will burn you like an effigy!"

* * *

**End Note: **

**(1): I don't live in Lexington, but I do live in Kentucky. Please do not rape me. I would honestly not appreciate it. ;)**

**(2): That is what those girls wear to those things. *shakes head* And - while I will admit to owning a pair of cowgirl boots - the amount of skin shown off by those shorts and the ridiculous tops they wear is unbearable.**

**NO OFFENSE TO GIRLS WITH SHORT HAIR; I HAD SHORT HAIR FOR MOST OF MY LIFE. :) I just thought this would be an extremely awkward and comical situation. Have I succeeded?**

**-Chelsea  
**


	23. Ice Queen

**A/N: I am sorry for the suckishness of this one-shot. I am going through a particularly tough time in my life right now (PM me for details if you actually care to hear me rant) and so that may have affected the quality of this…thing…**

**

* * *

**_~ice queen~_

_

* * *

_

Ice Queen, they called her. One with no heart. She who feels only hate, and at other times is merely apathetic.

It was hardly the truth.

She sat in her tent, absentmindedly stroking her timid fawn, and tucked her knees against her chest so that she could rest her chin on her knees. These thoughts had been haunting her – the fact that everyone thought her merciless, cruel – and she had still failed to discover why they irked her _now_. She'd known of the mortals' mutual dislike for the stone-hearted huntress for what seemed like forever now, and she had still held her head high, remembering to always be confident and ignore snide comments. After all, what did she care if a group of rebellious humans openly detested her? She was a _goddess_. She had to remember that she was superior to them in every way.

Why was it so hard _now?_

Oh, yes – because she had just been reminded of it in the most painful of ways.

It was customary for her to punish a disrespectful male – one who stumbled upon her camp or flirted with her or challenged her status and her sanity – and none of her huntresses had ever given it much thought. Jackalopes and hinds and bears had a skyrocketing population. But earlier that day, she had done something she hadn't done for centuries now.

Admittedly, she was frustrated. It had been an awful day on the hunt – they'd managed to shoot _squat_, the snares that Brooke had set produced _nada_, and even the bear traps were empty, untouched. What had gotten _into _her? She was the goddess of the hunt! She was – aptly – _the best huntress ever. _And yet, the effort she gave today was…

_Wait, what effort?_

So she'd sighed and decided that they should take a rest, and they'd stopped in a meadow, sitting and yawning, luxuriating in the cool green grass. Artemis had been sorting through her quiver (for lack of anything better to do) when he caught her eye.

Details would do nothing to clear her mind. Reliving that moment would send a whole new surge of remorse coursing through her.

But she'd killed him. She'd taken his life, and she was a murderer.

It wasn't just that fact, though. She'd taken her fair share of lives, usually innocent – she shuddered, remembering that Orion's was among them – but what haunted her was _their _reaction.

Her companions were stunned into silence (apart from Thalia's astonished gasp and a helpless whimper from one of the younger hunters) and Artemis had tried to apologize, but –

The damage had been done. None of the girls said a word on the way back to camp, only speaking when they were addressed directly. When they finally returned, they all shuffled uncomfortably, and then – with dismissal from the goddess – hurried into their tents, trembling.

And now she was alone, gathering these thoughts and feeling a pang of hurt every time she came to a horrid or awkward part of the memory. Everything that had ever been said about her was entirely and absolutely _right_ – and it scared her. She _was _heartless; she _was _cold; she _was _nastiness itself.

No, no she wasn't. She couldn't be.

She could feel herself growing weaker, and giving in to this fact. She was confused, she was breaking, and she needed –

"Apollo," she whimpered. It felt awful to confess her weaknesses to _him_, but then again, who else was she expected to confide in? Her lieutenant, who was dutifully avoiding her? Her dead mother? Her stern father?

Or the ever-loyal Phoebus Apollo…

Finally, she grew sick of yearning for his warmth and comfort, and called out telepathically, weakly: _"Apollo."_

Once, he'd made a promise to her: _Whenever you need me, just say the word. There will never be a time that you're not welcome. _She hoped it still held true.

And apparently it did, because the tent filled with light and she could _feel _the burn of the sun (and not to mention his presence) – but it was only when he gingerly laid a hand on her shoulder that she looked up.

"Sis," he said, and she didn't have the energy to scowl disdainfully.

"I'm a monster, aren't I?" she asked softly. Apollo had no need to ask her what was wrong – one of the benefits of being her twin – as he crouched down next to her, gently easing the fawn out of its spot.

"You're not," he told her. "You just make mistakes. We all do."

"My huntresses were so surprised, Apollo. They were so…disgusted."

He chuckled lightly. She wasn't sure it was appropriate. "They'll do that," he agreed. "They just…weren't expecting it. Most of them weren't even born when you…did those things. Y'know, in the good old days. Greece…"

"None of them were," she corrected.

He smiled ruefully. "Right."

"But they will never be comfortable around me again," she insisted. "They're…frightened now. I'm a mere criminal in their eyes."

Apollo shook his head sternly. "C'mon, Artemis, don't tell yourself that. There's no need. It's not true," he said firmly. "They love and respect you as their goddess and their friend. You've shown them every kindness, and you'd better start being kind to yourself."

"For all you're offering me, I could have gone to Father…"

Apollo half-smiled. "Oh, sorry."

He warily pulled Artemis to him, and she uncharacteristically snuggled closer to his chest, soaking up the comfort. She sniffed, and he sighed at her misery and tightened his grip on her until it was nearly vice-like. She hugged him back fiercely as he whispered, "You're not a bad person. Why can't they see that?"

"They're logical," she answered, her voice muffled by his shirt. "I've killed someone. No wonder they think me evil."

Apollo seemed to consider this. "If you're evil, then so am I – and the rest of the gods, for that matter. And every single mortal."

Artemis looked up at him, confused.

"We aren't flawless," he explained, "contrary to popular belief. Even we grand immortals have our issues. And the mortals like to think themselves impeccable, but let's be honest – they are far from it." She cracked a small smile and rested her head against him again, waiting. "You made a mistake. A huge one. And you owe them an apology – the girls, I mean. They shouldn't have had to see that. And while we're at it, we might seek out that poor man's family and explain…somehow…"

But she was already shaking her head, saying, "No, I'll do that. You shouldn't have to; you're not a part of this."

"I'm a part of whatever you do."

Artemis clutched his arm tightly with one hand, as if fearing he'd slip away and she'd be cold and lonely once more. "I suppose you are," she agreed, which caused Apollo to smile.

He loosened his grip on her, and she groaned in complaint, but he told her, "You can't sit around sulking for all eternity, Artemis. You've got your friends out there waiting for you. Just go out there, make amends, and enjoy the rest of forever." She smirked at the cheesiness of the statement, but rose anyway, and so did Apollo. She gave him a look.

"Right." She moved to the exit, yet turned back to look at him again.

"Brother?"

"Sister?"

"Thank you…for helping me," she said carefully, choosing her words with caution. He didn't need _another _ego-boost. Apollo gave one of his magnificent grins.

"Anytime, sis," he told her. She rapidly rolled her eyes, regaining her normal attitude toward her twin brother, and left before he could recite a poem about comforting one another.

"Anytime," he repeated softly as she left.

* * *

**End Note: Cheesy, cheesy, cheesy. I hate cheese. I might vomit.**

**Anyway, again – I totally apologize. It's not up to par with my other works. Maybe in six months when my misfortune is predicted to end, I'll surprise you with something totally amazing. You never know. ;)**

**-Chelsea**

**P.S. I still want you to criticize me. Don't be afraid to make me more upset, because you WON'T, and I LIKE you guys, and I detest this one figure in my life right now, so...  
**


	24. Reputations

**A/N: SHE'S ALIVE!**

**Yes. Yes I am. And if you want a really long drawn out explanation as to why I disappeared off the face of the earth for, um…**_**yeah**_**…then I'll give it to you. But read the chapter first, yeah? :)  
**

* * *

_~reputations~  
_

* * *

"What do you mean, _help you?_"

Apollo smiled calmly at his sister, crossing his arms confidently even in the face of her irritated glare. "C'mon, you don't even really have to do much," he replied persuasively. "I just need a _little tiny bit _of assistance, that's all. And as my loving, caring, intelligent sister, I know you'd be the best one for the job."

Apollo grinned. Artemis snorted.

_"Please_, brother," she laughed bitterly. "As your loving, caring, intelligent sister, I must remind you that whatever it is you need help with, you are perfectly capable of doing yourself."

Apollo pouted. "But _puh-lease, _Arty? Please? I really need you. Just this one time."

"That's what you said last time!" Artemis snapped, glaring up at her brother. "How many 'one times' are there going to be, Apollo? I'm beginning to wonder if our father Zeus should consider revoking your title as the god of math."

Apollo laughed. "Oh, aren't you cute, little sister? No, no, no. Of course I realize I'm overusing the whole 'one-time' thing. I _do _know how to count, by the way – even if it would please you to believe otherwise. But you see, the thing is, I know of no other way to acquire your much-needed assistance."

Artemis rolled her eyes. "Because there _is _no other way." She frowned. "And why are you so confident that your empty promise of 'it's just this one time' works, anyhow?"

"Stop confusing me!" Apollo insisted. He huffed before taking one of Artemis' small hands in both of his own. "Dearest sister, please. You are the only way I can achieve my goal."

Artemis did not appear impressed in the slightest. _"Dearest brother_, I speak from experience when I say that it is in both of our best interests that I decline your request. I am wholly confident in assuming that this 'goal' you speak of is scarily idiotic."

"Pish, sister." Apollo waved her words away. "I assure you that nothing about this quest of mine is in anyway idiotic or nonsensical."

"Though I might beg to differ," Artemis muttered, but Apollo continued on talking.

"Surely after all I've done for _you, _in _your _interests…you'd be willing to lend your older brother a hand?"

"Younger brother."

"Shall I take that as a yes?" Apollo waggled his eyebrows hopefully.

Artemis scowled at her brother's antics, but paused thoughtfully anyway. After a moment she slid past her twin to poke her head out of her tent, and seeing that her lieutenant, Thalia Grace, had everything under control, turned wearily to Apollo.

"If you so much as annoy me one time-"

"Oh joy!"

Apollo wasted absolutely no time in snatching up his beloved sister by her forearm and pulling her along, out of the tent, and into the passenger seat of his sun car. She sighed absently as he climbed into the driver's seat.

"I'll return sooner or later," she called out to her curious huntresses. Then, she turned to glare at nothing in particular, her stormy eyes aimed at the sunny sky, the essence of her brother. "Dear Zeus, what have I gotten myself into?"

* * *

Somewhere along the journey from where Artemis and her hunt had set up camp in a wooded area to Apollo's 'mystery destination,' said goddess had fallen asleep, curled into a tight ball. She had managed to obtain at least an hour and a half of sleep, which was an accomplishment in and of itself considering that it wasn't necessarily the easiest thing to do in a convertible sports car zipping through the sky at the-gods-knew-what-speed.

When Apollo swooped down for a jerky landing, Artemis awoke immediately. Her eyes shot open instantly and, as a result of her sudden confiscation of sleep, released an animalistic groan in protest. Apollo shot her an apologetic glance, which she was too disorientated to even recognize. Instead, she focused on the nearing ground, which was growing increasingly closer at a worrying pace. She shot Apollo a terrified look. It wasn't that she didn't trust him; she just…didn't trust him.

Finally, and a little too roughly for Artemis' tastes, the tires made contact with the ground and the vehicle skidded to a stop. Thanks to the open top feature, Artemis nearly choked on the sudden rush of air that came flying violently into her face upon the unnecessarily quick landing, but opted instead to turn to her brother with a livid sneer. The sun god took no notice of this, but instead allowed a childish grin to spread across his face.

"And here we are!" he announced gleefully, earning a disgusted scoff from his twin sister. "We hope you enjoyed your ride today, and thank you for choosing the Sunny Express!"

Artemis pushed down her annoyance toward her brother and scoped out her surroundings. Originally squinting in concentration, now she gawked in horror.

"Apollo!" she barked angrily.

"Artemis," he replied nonchalantly, and she wheeled around to snarl at her golden twin.

"A _shopping complex_? Honestly brother? You come to me in the middle of the morning insisting that you are in dire need of my help, and once you sucker me into assisting your miserable self, you bring me to a disgusting, overcrowded, utterly pointless, _mortal shopping complex_? To be quite frank with you, Apollo, I remain unsure as to why you would need my _expertise _to shop for your arrogant self – and at a mortal store nonetheless; I have never known you to accept anything but the best available - but I can assure you that I have much better things to do and that-"

"Whoa! Arty, slow down," he laughed. "No, lil' sis. We're not here to shop – well, in the technical sense, anyway." He smirked.

Artemis folded her arms over her chest impatiently. "Then _what _are your intentions? There is no doubt in my mind that they are just as pointless as my first guess."

Apollo rolled his eyes uncharacteristically, though Artemis was unable to notice due to his dark sunglasses. "Oh, sister. You always were one to jump to conclusions. Come along. We don't have all day."

He hopped out of the car and began walking across the parking lot, and Artemis followed.

But not before slamming her head forcefully against the dashboard.

* * *

"It smells like Aphrodite's perfume in here," Artemis commented miserably upon entering one of the stores in the complex. She hadn't paid attention to what store it was, but it was obviously a fragrance store, with shelves of candles, perfumes, body lotions and more lining the painfully bright walls. She knew that by entering this store, she was doomed to get the closest thing an immortal could have to a massive headache.

"Relax, sis," Apollo said. "You'll get used to it. Or something close to used to it." Artemis bit her lip to prevent screaming in frustration.

"Listen closely, brother," she hissed. "I do not _wish _to be here right now, as I hope you already know. Furthermore, I _wish _to be back with my hunters, as we have a busy day planned. I suggest that whatever it is you need doing, you do it now, so that we may leave as soon as possible." She nodded decisively and Apollo gave a lopsided smile.

"Yeah, whatever," he replied. He wrapped an arm around Artemis' shoulders and began walking speedily through the store, looking down every aisle hopefully. Artemis muttered to herself, allowing herself to be dragged along; whatever it took to get out of there quickly.

"Styx!" Apollo cursed under his breath, and Artemis looked up at him curiously. He continued rambling: "I've checked every aisle…the registers, maybe? No, probably not. Can't hurt to check…"

Artemis felt her temper rising. _"You brought me here and you don't even know where to find what you're looking for?" _

Apollo clamped a hand over his livid sister's mouth. "_Shh! _Artemis! You can't go around screaming like that!"

Artemis fumed silently and followed Apollo as he walked directly to the registers, scanning the products just below the counter.

"Damn! Where is it?" he demanded.

The blonde behind the counter looked up. "May I help you, sir?"

"Uh, yeah," he answered. "Gimme the latest issue of that magazine you guys sell here…um…uh…_Fruity Juice _or whatever."

The clerk raised an eyebrow. _"Juicy Gossip Weekly?" _

Apollo snapped. "Yeah, that!"

The clerk dipped beneath the counter and returned with an obnoxiously pink magazine covered with pictures of sickeningly skinny teenage pop-stars and shirtless guys. Artemis nearly gagged at the sight of it, and was wondering what her brother would want with such a mindless magazine.

Apollo began flipping through the magazine furiously, desperately trying to locate something unknown. The clerk cleared her throat.

"You can't just read the whole magazine here. If you want to read the entire thing, you'll have to buy it. Otherwise you're just ripping us off."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," was Apollo's mumbled response. Finally, his face brightened, and he released a cliché, "Aha!"

Artemis attempted to peer over his shoulder curiously, but with the height difference was unable to see anything – and she certainly couldn't just change ages in front of an already confused mortal. She huffed and waited impatiently for Apollo to finish up.

"Oookaayy," Apollo drawled, "now sell me every copy you have!"

The clerk's eyes widened. "Pardon?"

"Every one. Right now."

"You do realize that's sixty-four issues?" the blonde asked.

"Of course," Apollo sighed. "Just give them to me!"

"Slow down, brother," Artemis chimed in. "You might wet yourself."

The clerk examined both twins slowly, then sighed and produced two cardboard boxes filled with pink magazines. She rang them up slowly – much to Artemis' annoyance – and finally announced, "Three-hundred-five dollars and twenty-eight cents."

Apollo slapped his credit card down on the counter and eyed the magazines hungrily. "Idiot," Artemis muttered.

When they exited the store, each carrying a box of magazines, Artemis turned to Apollo, and with a look, demanded to know what had just taken place. Apollo shot her another look, which clearly asked that she wait until they returned to the sun car.

"Right," he began when they had settled into their seats. "So look." He reached into one of the boxes and produced a magazine, flipped to the appropriate page, and then shoved it in her face. Artemis examined it carefully, and then fell absolutely silent. She folded the magazine closed and laid it on her lap.

"You. Brought. Me. _All. The Way. Here…_because you were publicly intoxicated?" she snapped. She leaned over to smack him across the back of the head. "You dunce! What a waste of my time!"

And indeed, within the magazine were numerous pictures of a very drunk Apollo doing very drunken things, printed in a magazine for every bath-soap shopping, magazine-reading teenage girl to see.

"I need you to burn them!" Apollo insisted. His face darkened. "Take them deep, deep into the woods and burn them."

"No!" Artemis argued wildly. "Why are you even _in _a magazine, brother? What makes you different from any other obnoxious drunk?"

"Look, I'm just too sexy," Apollo explained slowly, and Artemis snorted. "I'm serious! People know me everywhere I go in the mortal world. The thing is, if everyone sees that…who's going to want to sleep with me?" Artemis retched, thoroughly disgusted. "Artemis, really! How many people will want to get it on with yours truly if they think I'm an alcoholic?"

"You disgust me!" Artemis snarled, and she climbed out of the car.

"Artemis, where are you going? Seriously, I need your help!" Apollo whined.

The moon goddess rolled her eyes. "I'm leaving."  
"How will you get back to your camp?" Apollo inquired smugly.

"I'm a goddess, Apollo; do the math, if you are truly able to."

Apollo pouted. "No! You have to help! My _reputation! _How will I rid the world of these…these…monstrosities?"

"_You _are a _god_, Apollo; and the _sun god _at that. I am sure you will figure your own way to burn the magazines and fix your silly mistake."

"Are you suggesting that I do this by myself?"

"Entirely," Artemis responded.

"That's cold, sis," Apollo retorted. "Oh, yeah. And maybe I forgot to mention this, but you're in it, too."

She turned around at a record-breaking speed. _"What?" _

Apollo chuckled nervously. "Yeah, so maybe when I was a little _woo_, I led the reporters to where you and the girls were camped out then and…maybe gave them the impression that you were a psychopathic cult…?"

"Apollo!" Artemis growled. "The entire young female population will be scared away if they see that! How would I recruit new huntresses if _that _got out?"

Apollo smirked. "Not so against burning it now, are we?"

"…seal those boxes up tight. I know just the place."

* * *

**End Note: I really don't like the way this one turned out, but I was just pondering how everyone's obsessed with his or her reputation. Oh well. It's pretty bad when I don't do my own idea justice…**

**So first of all if any of you are still out there…miss me? :)**

**Sigh. Right, explanation.**

**I know this is going to sound really juvenile to a lot of you older readers out there, but eighth grade put a lot of stress on me, especially when I had applied to the two most prestigious high schools in my state and so I had to keep my every grade UP or else be thoroughly chastised. Which was fun, as you might have guessed. Yeah, but anyway, I couldn't neglect my FF forever. Basically Artemis and Apollo are just too cute to ignore (I still spent most of my free time daydreaming up sickeningly sweet fluffy brother/sister moments between the two of them) and I figured I couldn't abandon you guys because, believe it or not, you've helped me grow as a writer. I don't want to get too sentimental here, but…**

**Sigh. This story? Is my freaking baby. And y'all (don't mind the drawl; still a Kentuckian, you know) are like the overindulgent grandparents that spoil this child. So take that weird simile for whatever you want it to mean.**

**I'm taking down some of my stories, by the way, because I'll literally never finish them and you awesome people deserve better than being lead on by yours truly… :/**

**Love,**

**The girl who hates when people turn their author's notes into autobiographies. Whoops.**

**(AKA, Chelsea.)**


	25. I Want You To Know

**A/N: It's refreshing to know that after I ditched you guys oh-so-rudely for about an eternity and a half, I still have some loyal and kind readers/reviewers. I love you guys!**

**Anyway, this one is about Apollo. I think I dug really deep, in an effort to explain his protectiveness over Artemis. I'm...really uber proud of it. But I guess YOU GUYS should be the judge of whether or not it's good.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or anything affiliated with Percy Jackson. Thank you, my good people.  
**

* * *

_~i want you to know~_**  
**

* * *

If there was one thing that Apollo loved more than himself, it was Artemis. It didn't matter that it was his responsibility to drive the sun chariot across the sky every morning, and then again in the opposite direction at night. It didn't matter that, being the god of _so _many things, he truly did have a lot of work on his hands. It didn't even matter that he had a vicious sex drive and, according to everyone's expectations, should be prowling the streets of some mortal city he hadn't hit yet in search of a new lover. And most of all, it didn't matter that he had a reputation to worry about – he had a soft spot for his baby sister, and she would always be his top priority.

When Apollo tried to think back far enough to pinpoint a certain time and place that his protectiveness over his twin sister Artemis originated, he usually ended up giving up immediately. It seemed like he'd always felt the urge to stay connected to her, to know where she was at all times and if she was safe. So Apollo had always made a point to just assume that his brotherly love for Artemis had always been instilled in him – which it had been. Of course it had.

Instead, he tried to imagine the time and place that he'd made a promise to himself: a promise to protect his 'little' sister no matter the cost. That _had _happened, and without thinking for too long, Apollo could remember.

He could remember seeing his mother's face for the last time – that pale, clammy, sickeningly hurt face. He'd watched her _die_ (that is, fade away completely; true death was not a common obstacle for immortals). He had watched her shaking, seizing, _completely losing her mind_. And in that moment, as Leto slowly dimmed into nothingness, Apollo could remember looking down at his mother, completely frozen with shock and depression after having tried everything he could think of to revive her, and thinking, _She has Artemis' eyes. _

But now those eyes – Leto's, of course – were fluttering closed; those beautifully intense, deep melting pots of silver and gold, fighting for dominance, were sealing shut forever. Apollo waited for the moment when his mother's eyes would flash open - just like in the mornings of his childhood, when the twins would wander to her bedroom and climb on her as she slept, and she would say, "Good morning," in that soothing, motherly voice of hers and proceed to lead them to the kitchen for breakfast.

But no. No eyes. No greeting. No quail eggs for breakfast.

Apollo had grasped Leto's hand tightly until the moment she officially dissipated – _dissipated._

_ Into thin air._

_**Gone.**_

And then he'd sat, stared into space, and desperately pushed back the too-human emotions that were rushing at him faster than they ever had before.

Apparently, they were rushing at Artemis faster.

Artemis, who had been watching from behind Apollo the entire time, too frightened and devastated to even _comprehend _doing something about it, had first released a tiny whimper, which then evolved and transformed into a full-out, heart wrenching _sob-fest._

Apollo had turned around quickly, stunned, and upon seeing his sister – that small, fragile, _poor, helpless girl – _decided against trying to force back his feelings any longer.

He cried.

He reached for her at the same time that she reached for him, and as soon as their hands made contact with the other's, they melted into an embrace – two tormented, desperate souls in need of one another to feel complete again.

It seemed that they had cried for hours, but looking back, Apollo could never put a number on the stretch of time that was filled with his tears, and with hers. All he remembered was that after the weeping, he had sniffled and pulled his head back from where it rested on Artemis' – if only for a moment – and suddenly, it hit him like a bag of solid gold bricks.

She was vulnerable! So, so vulnerable – and he'd only just realized it. Artemis had always been talented at shielding her emotions. She could keep an even expression if she was angry; she could force a friendly smile if she was irritated…

…but when something like _this _came slamming into her I'm-alright-it's-okay façade/shield, one could see how fragile she was really capable of being. To the unobservant eye, she might have appeared to be an invincible, impossibly strong goddess, whose chances of breaking were microscopic in comparison to _anyone else's_.

But even the roughest exteriors were malleable. All it took was a little effort.

As Apollo sat, holding her, feeling her salty silver tears soak his bare shoulder, he knew he couldn't do this. He couldn't just sit by and watch.

_This is too much for her. My baby sister; my best friend._

And so after that fateful day, he'd made a pact. With himself.

He hadn't voiced it to anyone else – except Leto, in a prayer he fervently _hoped _she was still capable of hearing – and he hadn't put it down on paper, but _he _knew, and that was all he needed. He would guard Artemis, and her happiness, and her safety, (and most importantly her virginity, but that was another story for another time) with all of his heart and all of his love. She needed to…

_She needed to know._

She needed to know how much he loved her; how he would do anything for her; how she would never have to feel those emotions ever again.

And Apollo had tensed. No, no. He couldn't _honestly _promise her _that_. Even with the advantage his prophecies and visions offered him, he could never assure her of the Fates' intentions.

The most he could do was give his all, for her, and only for her. That way, even if the Fates decided to play particularly masochistically one day and send a curveball flying their way, he would still be able to hold up his side of the deal.

Looking back on all of this now, Apollo realized that the hardest part wasn't the sacrifices he made for Artemis. The hardest part wasn't being chastised for abandoning his duties or being dumped by his lady friends because he was never around.

The hardest part of it all was that she still thought he was just being annoying, a nuisance, an airhead. She thought he was only playing the role of over-protective brother because it made him look good. She honestly thought this was all out of arrogance.

The hardest part was that, despite his best efforts, she still didn't _know_.

* * *

**End Note: I hope this makes as much sense to you guys as it did to me... :/ Haha. HAPPY SUMMER 2011 BITCHES. (: **

**-Chelsea  
**


	26. Hypocrite

**A/N: GUYS, THIS IS WHERE THE T RATING COMES IN HANDY. (:**

**Strong language? _Check._**

**Sexual references? _Check also.  
_**

* * *

_~hypocrite~  
_

* * *

Hermes and Apollo were strolling through Olympus' marble courtyard, exiting the palace after the summer solstice council meeting. They were bantering playfully about who paid the least attention (definitely Apollo, but Hermes liked to pretend he had a shot) when Aphrodite strolled by, her arm intertwined with Ares' more muscled arm. The couple didn't pay Hermes and Apollo any attention, though the two gods wrinkled their noses at the strong, unmistakable scent of Aphrodite's signature perfume.

"Dude!" Apollo managed through coughs. "Where in bloody hell did she hear that it was okay to douse herself in perfume? Isn't that why they come in spray bottles?"

"Probably preparing for her big Solstice Party tonight," Hermes guessed, equally disgusted.

"Solstice Party?" Apollo asked, confused.

"Yeah," Hermes said. "Didn't you hear? She sent _everyone_ invites."

"Oh, maybe she sent me one and I just didn't open it," Apollo murmured thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, I did toss an envelope a few weeks back because it reeked of love magic..."

"Was it frilly and pink?"

Apollo mock-gagged. "Yes. It was."

"That was it, then," Hermes answered. "So, you coming?"

Apollo didn't even have to consider. "Nah."

Hermes gawked. "But _bro_. 'Dite throws the _best_ parties. They're insane. Even Athena stops being anal long enough to have a good time. You can't miss this party, man. I mean...you never miss a party!"

Apollo shrugged, sliding his hand into his pocket to play with his iPod earbuds. He was about to confide in Hermes, to tell him something that - at least he thought - was totally serious. He didn't look up when he spoke.

"I kinda try to avoid parties on Olympus now, y'know?" he explained. "They're...bad news. They're full of mindlessness and alcohol and horny people."

Hermes blinked. "But...you love mindlessness and alcohol and horny people."

"I don't like it when Arty is around that stuff, dude. So I promised her I'd kind of stay away from it so as not to appear a hypocrite."

"_Oh_," Hermes said slowly, his voice tinted with realization. "So that's what this is about. What happened last time, at D's party..."

Apollo glared at the ground. "Yeah."

"Listen, dude. Artemis would probably totally understand if you went to the party. She probably wouldn't pay it any mind," Hermes insisted.

"I promised her," Apollo argued.

"It's just a party, Apol-"

"I _promised_ her, okay?"

Hermes sighed in defeat. "Yeah, okay." He paused, crinkling his brow. "Why are you so overprotective when it comes to Arty, anyway?"

Apollo gave him a stern look. "My baby sister is the single most delicate, precious, adorable thing in this entire world. She stands for chastity, and innocence. She _is_ innocence. And if anyone threatens that, I'll gut him or her like a _little fish_."

Hermes waited for his eyes to shrink back to their normal size. Then, he chuckled quietly.

"What?" Apollo demanded.

Hermes laughed again, louder this time. "Nothing."

"_What_ are you laughing at?" Apollo insisted.

"You know how you said you didn't want to come off as a hypocrite?" Hermes snickered.

Apollo arched an eyebrow. "Yeah..."

Hermes bit his lip. "It's not working."

"...Excuse me?"

Hermes sighed. "Listen, you're always going on about how Artemis is so fragile and untouchable and pure, and you freak if a guy so much as looks at her. Yet, you've got a new lover every other week. Chances are, you've banged somebody else's delicate little sister."

Apollo scoffed. "Come on. That's totally different. Those are _mortal_ girls, who don't have a sacred vow of chastity. And how dare you imply that someone could have a better baby sister than I do!"

Hermes held his hands out in front of himself defensively. "Whoa, relax. So what you're saying is, if Artemis wasn't bound by her vow, you'd be perfectly fine with her being...promiscuous?"

Apollo clenched his jaw. "Yes," he lied.

"You're saying you wouldn't mind that she wouldn't be your little virgin sister anymore?" Hermes pressed.

"Not at all," Apollo replied, though his rough voice said otherwise.

"Oh, okay. So like you wouldn't be haunted by the image of your tiny, little, precious baby sister being...seductive?"

Apollo tried to hide the fire in his eyes. "Of course not. No vows. Her decision."

"And you wouldn't want to kill any of the guys she slept with? You wouldn't gut some horny guy who had the hots for your _precious_ sister and whose only thoughts were about how he couldn't wait to get her home - or if he didn't make it that far, maybe just the car- so he could just hit it from the back and-"

"HERMES SHUT THE FUCK UP."

Apollo looked dangerously close to having an aneurysm. His face was red and the veins in his forehead were throbbing noticeably.

Hermes stopped mid-sentence and stared. "But why, dear brother?" he asked innocently. "I was merely asking a question."

"Asking a DIRTY question about my GODS-DAMNED BABY SISTER!" Apollo snapped, and a smirk slowly found its way to Hermes' lips.

"What about not caring?" he reminded Apollo smugly. "What about no vows, her decision?"

The two friends had finally reached the center of Olympus' giant courtyard, where a large circular fountain with many tiers was a popular spot to sit and talk. Apollo instantly recognized his twin, who was perched on the edge the fountain with Thalia, eyeing a frilly pink envelope questioningly. Apollo forced back a growl.

"Fuck that," he barked. He stormed over to his sister and yanked the envelope from her grip, causing the goddess to shoot him a puzzled look.

"Brother?" she said confusedly. Apollo ripped the invitation into dozens of tiny pieces and tossed them promptly into the fountain.

"There," he said. "You're not going to that party, and you're _never _going to lose your virginity."

Artemis and Thalia shared a confused look, then Artemis replied, "I...wasn't...planning on it."

Apollo's facial muscles loosened, causing the taut appearance of his face to dissolve. His face softened considerably, and he ruffled his sister's hair. "Of course you weren't, sis! Should've known better; you're too good for that." He grinned, apparently relieved by...something.

"Riiiight." Artemis blinked once or twice before continuing. "Is there something you were wanting to talk about?"

"Oh, just how cute you are." He pinched her cheek and she swatted irritably at his hand.

"Leave me alone!" she groaned. Apollo smiled again.

"Anything for you, sister," he said agreeably. He bent down to plant a kiss on the top of her head, threw a flirty wink in Thalia's direction, and returned to an amused Hermes.

"Well, that went well," Hermes commented.

Apollo nodded. "Of course it did. And to think: you got all riled up over nothing, Hermes."

* * *

**End Note: Inspired by true events. Really hilarious true events.  
**

**~Chelsea **


	27. Tityos Pt 1

**A/N: RECAP. For those of you who don't know this myth, I will gladly explain it to you!**

**Tityos was a giant sent by Hera to rape Leto. That bitch. Anyway, she called out to Artemis and Apollo for help and they tag-teamed Tityos, slew him, and sent his ass to Tartarus. Go Letoides, am I right? ;P**

**Apollo and Artemis will speak in a slightly old-fashioned way here, considering this myth…didn't happen recently. Catch my drift?**

**READ ON.  
**

* * *

_~tityos pt. 1~  
_

* * *

Artemis was leaning against a tree trunk outside her childhood home on Delos, squinting in the sunlight and sweating miserably. She flashed her brother Apollo, who was sitting across from her, a nasty glare. Of course he would choose today to have the sun at its most powerful.

He grinned cheekily at her and she rolled her eyes. They had planned to visit their mother, Leto, here at her house, but when they had arrived there had been no sight of her. For a while they'd been sitting here, with Artemis sweating profusely, simply awaiting their mother's arrival.

"Where do you suppose she is, sister?" Apollo asked suddenly, apparently just as puzzled as his twin was.

Artemis tucked a loose strand of auburn hair behind her ear. "I can't say. She rarely leaves Delos except to visit acquaintances, and even then we are fully aware of it." She paused, her brow furrowed in worry. "You don't think-"

"Don't worry, Artemis," Apollo interrupted calmly. He picked a white wildflower from the grass beside him and tucked it gingerly behind Artemis' ear, smiling. "I'm sure she is fine. Besides, if she wasn't, we would know immediately."

Artemis grimaced, remembering the gut wrenching feeling that made an appearance when Leto was in peril. It was an awful combination of guilt and dread - guilt because the twins had, in a way, failed their mother; dread that they may already be too late. As she thought of the feeling now, it was amazing how strong it felt; almost as if Leto actually _was_ in trouble and her stomach really _was_ churning...

No. _No._

When Artemis braved a glance in her brother's direction, her suspicions were confirmed. Leto _was_ in danger - she could see in Apollo's face that he was experiencing the same feelings.

"We have to-"

But before she could finish, Apollo stood abruptly and offered his hand to her. She used it to lift herself up, and summoned her bow, which appeared in her hand immediately. Apollo did likewise, and with a last nervous glance in Artemis' direction, gestured for her to follow him to Delphi - where they now sensed Leto was located.

* * *

The towering trees of Delphi's grove never failed to make Apollo antsy. The trees were tall, thin, and abundant in quantity, reminding Apollo of a maze that was nearly impossible to find your way out of. He took one look at the labyrinth of trees and shuddered, unable to imagine how he and Artemis would find their mother in this mess.

The sight of the grove, however, did not unnerve Artemis. The forest was her dominion, and she was used to tangles of plants, hidden paths, and slippery moss. A family of trees was not unsettling to her.

The twins were pulled from their thoughts when a scream pierced the air. It was Leto's voice, demanding, "Release me, you brute! Let go!" The twins heard her struggling and dashed into the grove, swerving every which way to avoid smacking into trees. Leto's pleas grew louder and more desperate as they came closer: "Stop! _Help_!"

When Artemis and Apollo finally found their mother, they also found Tityos, the giant, holding her waist from behind; Leto was kicking and clawing, absolutely helpless in the grasp of the giant. Artemis gasped.

"Oh, _you_," she hissed venomously. She growled fiercely as she landed a kick to his thigh - which apparently wasn't enough to _injure_ a giant; only annoy him.

"Agh!" Tityos protested, releasing Leto only to snatch her back up with one arm. He caught sight of Apollo only a few feet behind Artemis, with his bow poised for attack. Artemis had reached around her shoulder to finger the arrows in her quiver. "You damned Letoides!"

Tityos was no wannabe giant - he towered over the three of them: Leto and her children. His skin was a rough-looking hide, like tan leather, and he wore only a piece of cloth around his waist with dirty sandals. He had eyes that seemed they could fall out of their sockets easily, they were so protruding and large. His hair was a nasty tangle of black, smeared with mud, and when he spoke, his breath smelled as rank as the rest of him.

"Release our mother," Artemis demanded, "and perhaps minimal damage will come to you."

Tityos sneered. Tauntingly, he slammed Leto into the trunk of a nearby tree. She released an agonized wail.

The twins hissed in unison. "Stop!" they insisted simultaneously.

Tityos guffawed. "How cute!" he teased. He turned to Leto. "Tell me, do they do everything together?"

The unconscious Leto did not respond.

During Tityos' little laugh-fest, Apollo had sent an arrow flying into the back of his neck, implanting itself right below his skull.

"AAARGH!" Tityos roared, reaching back to yank the arrow from his flesh. A stream of ichor***** flowed from the wound. He dropped Leto and wheeled around to swing at Apollo, who ducked. Artemis, who had been prepared to shoot an arrow but hadn't settled it in her bow yet, used the arrow by itself to stab Tityos in the foot. The giant roared again, snatching Artemis quickly.

"You insufferable brat!" he cried, shaking her fiercely. Unable to do much else, Artemis grunted and sunk her teeth into his skin. He howled and dropped her; the lithe goddess flipped in midair so as to land on her feet.

As Tityos examined the bite mark, Apollo shot an arrow into his stomach. Artemis, who had climbed through the treetops to reach Leto, followed her brother's lead and aimed for Tityos' lower back. The giant was able to remove the first arrow easily, but the second was harder to reach. Seeing this, Artemis quickly sent a volley of arrows flying to various different places on Tityos' back. Tityos released an animalistic howl and turned to pin Artemis against a tree.

"Damn you!" he growled, using a free hand to choke her. "You're well fit enough, aren't you now? If I can't have your mother, I'll just have you!" Artemis' eyes widened in terror.

"You _won't_!" Apollo hissed lividly. He jumped at Tityos' back, doing the only thing he could think of to reach his neck; he jabbed one arrow into his back, then jabbed another with the opposite hand, as if he were climbing a rock wall and not a giant's back. Upon reaching Tityos' shoulders, he threw both arms around the giant's neck and yanked forcefully. This caught Tityos off guard, and he began to lose his balance, accidentally releasing Artemis and toddling backwards. As if cued, Artemis sent a well-placed kick to his shins, and Apollo jumped from his neck as he fell backwards. As Tityos hit the ground, it was sickening to imagine the arrows delving further into his back. He was lying in a pool of ichor, close to death. One last blow, and he'd be finished.

Apollo and Artemis pinned down his right and left arms respectively. Apollo glared fiercely into his eyes.

"Answer me, you brute," he snapped. "Were you here by your own free will?"

"N-no," Tityos choked.

Artemis narrowed her eyes. "Who sent you to defile our mother?"

"L-L-Lady Hera," he admitted weakly.

The twins shared a knowing glance. Artemis stood.

"You know what I have to do," she told her brother, gesturing to the nearly gone Tityos. Apollo nodded, disgusted. He turned so as not to lose the contents of his stomach as Artemis snapped Tityos' neck like he was a common stag.

"It is your turn," Artemis said. "Do what you must."

Apollo nodded grimly and rose to stand over the dead giant. Artemis ran to Leto as Apollo murmured an incantation to send Tityos to Tartarus.

Leto had regained consciousness, but was still a bit woozy. Artemis laid a hand on her head.

"My daughter?" Leto asked quietly. Artemis smiled.

"Yes," she said softly.

Apollo approached, kneeling next to Artemis. "Don't worry, mother. We've handled the giant."

Leto smiled softly, unable to speak as her eyes fluttered closed once more.

"Apollo?" came Artemis' tentative voice. "Is she...will she be..."

Apollo twined an arm around Artemis. "She'll be fine," he promised. "Let's get her home."

* * *

**End Note: FEAR NOT. I am not finished. This is actually going to be something like a two-shot, because next chapter, I simply **_**have **_**to have Apollo and Artemis approaching Hera.**

**I fucking hate Hera.**

**You knew that.**

***I'm not sure if Tityos would have ichor for blood, but considering he's the son of Zeus and **_**TECHNICALLY **_**Gaia, I gave it to him anyway. **

**~Chelsea**


	28. Tityos Pt 2

**A/N: Part two, after Artemis and Apollo kick some serious ass.**

* * *

_~tityos pt. 2~  
_

* * *

Leto watched her twin children from where she was sitting in her kitchen, wrapped in a blanket after being healed by Apollo. They were standing just outside the house, and she could see them through her window. They were worried about her, that much was wildly apparent. But they were arguing about something; they spoke in hushed whispers, making it impossible for her to overhear their conversation, and she was awful at reading lips. She watched as Artemis calmly insisted something, giving Apollo a long, meaningful look. Whatever she said did not sit well with her brother. He shook his head and sighed, then replied with something that caused Artemis' eyes to widen remarkably – and apparently made her angry. She began to articulate her point more lividly, using thoughtless hand gestures to further demonstrate whatever she was trying to say. When she had finished ranting, she was breathing heavily and a determined expression was plastered on her usually stoic face. Artemis waited for Apollo to reply, but he was apparently deep in thought and consideration. Finally, the goddess grew tired of waiting and turned to leave, bow in hand. Apollo caught her forearm quickly and gave her a pleading glance. He slowly raised a hand to point through the window at Leto.

The titaness froze. Did they…see her?

But no. Apollo must have only been referring to Leto, seeing as the twins' eyes remained locked firmly on each other's. Apollo articulated something more to his angry sister, and suddenly, as if by magic, she sobered. She massaged her temples to calm what was probably a raging headache and gave her brother an apologetic glance as she murmured a reply. Apollo nodded consolingly.

Whatever they had previously been arguing about, it was clear that they were in agreement on it now.

Leto wrapped her blanket tighter around her still-weak body. There was no way she could determine exactly what her children were discussing, but it seemed she had a pretty good guess.

* * *

Artemis and Apollo spoke quietly so as not to worry their mother, but it was hard to do when they were discussing such a touchy topic. Artemis was frustrated enough to scream out.

"Apollo," she said evenly, "you heard him yourself. Hera is the one who sent him. There is no denying that – but there _is _avenging our mother. We have been insulted and our mother has been threatened. Had we not gotten to Delphi in time…" She forced back a shudder. "We must go to Hera, and defeat her. _Now._"

Apollo breathed deeply and shook his head. "Artemis, you must remember, we cannot simply _attack _the queen of the heavens. It does not work that way. You know that."

Artemis widened her eyes, shocked. Then, infuriated, she quietly hissed, "Some son you are, Phoebus Apollo! One who will not even avenge his beloved mother. Or _is _she beloved to you? Do you even hold her dear? You disgust me. I thought I knew you well enough to suppose that perhaps you would fight for your family, to defend those you love. Zeus knows we would do the same for you. What have you to say for yourself, brother?"

Artemis panted breathlessly, tapping her foot impatiently as she awaited her brother's response. Apollo would not make eye contact with her. He was examining the ground just in front of his feet as if it were the most intriguing thing he had ever encountered. Annoyed, his sister huffed and turned to leave, summoning her bow. (She couldn't very well maim Hera without a weapon, now could she?)

Immediately, Apollo caught his twin by the arm and turned her to face him. She regarded him coolly, as if she were certain he would have nothing worthwhile to say.

Apollo used a raised hand to gesture to Leto's house, offering Artemis a pleading look. "Artemis, my sister, please. You know very well that Mother and you are my very _life_. But…but you must keep in mind, Hera is vengeful! What we do to her, she will do to Mother without hesitation. She also has our father Zeus on her side, regardless of what we have to say on the matter. We cannot win by simply barging in and overthrowing her." He lowered his arm. "Do you want Leto to suffer Hera's wrath any further? We can't risk Mother's safety, sister."

Artemis seemed to take the words to heart, her silvery eyes softening considerably. She used her fingers to massage her temples, trying to calm the aching, overworked muscles.

"You are right, brother," she sighed. "I did not consider Leto's safety. I am sorry."

Apollo nodded understandingly.

"So," Artemis began, "how, then, _will _we avenge our mother?"

* * *

Hera loved her throne. It was almost as if she used that overly-extravagant, peacock-feather-covered, silk-seated excuse for a chair to reassure herself: Zeus was unfaithful, but she was still queen. When the wife of Zeus wasn't busy terrorizing her husband's mistresses, she retired to her throne, kicked back, and laughed to herself, pondering her cleverness.

Artemis had once mentioned that all it succeeded in doing was making her look even more pathetic. Now, in the dimly-lit, mostly empty throne room on Olympus, it was even truer.

"Lady Hera," Apollo greeted tersely, stepping out of the shadows. He was followed by his twin sister, whose facial expression was not a forgiving one.

The goddess' head snapped up, and she eyed her twin stepchildren suspiciously.

_"Twins," _she replied; she had a habit of elongating the simple word into a mess of several unnecessary syllables, and then carefully lacing each one with venom.

"We have come here to…confront you," Artemis announced, trying her hardest to keep her voice steady and emotionless. One slip of the tongue – or vocal chords, rather – and Hera would grow defensive. The conversation would spiral into a full-blown argument, and in the heat of the moment, Artemis would lose control.

But Hera was only amused. "Such a mature action for such an immature pair."

"Much more mature than sending a giant to rape someone," Artemis retorted bitterly, growing increasingly agitated. The presence of the arrogant queen of the gods was enough to make her wish she could hurl herself off a cliff and end this misery.

"You have shown your true colors…_again_," Apollo agreed.

"As have you," Hera retorted. "Killing the giant Tityos was not a particularly merciful move."

"There is no room for mercy," Artemis replied. "Disgusting swine who do the masochistic dirty work of a sick-minded witch should not expect to be spared."

Their stepmother sat more erect in her throne. "You are particularly forward, aren't you, you heathen?" she hissed at Artemis.

The goddess of the hunt narrowed her eyes. "I am only so blunt because you are too blind to recognize your own wrongdoings."

"Wrongdoings," Hera snorted. She stood, placing a hand on her hip dramatically. "You have not seen wrongdoings. Everything my husband _does _is a wrongdoing. You are a result of one of these wrongdoings – the bastard children of a foolish king. Nothing more, and nothing less."

The twins stood their ground, having grown used to Hera's harsh insults. Without even so much as glancing at one another, the twins carried on a telepathic conversation in the face of Hera's menacing glare.

_It is not working_, Artemis thought.

_You weren't rude enough. If you want to get to her, you must dig deeper,_ her brother replied.

Artemis heeded her brother's advice, stepping forward courageously. "We are more than you will ever be – more than you can ever hope to amount to. Who are you, in the eyes of Zeus, but the nagging wife he longs to be rid of? We are his favorites and you are the bane of his existence. Who is Leto? Who are the other women he has affairs with? They are the ones he finds most beautiful and enchanting. You are the ugly hag he cannot bear to face."

"What are you but a rash murderer?" Apollo snapped suddenly, continuing his sister's rant. "You kill to make yourself seem stronger and more intimidating, but you are looked upon as nothing but a pathetic, hopelessly twisted monstrosity." He paused, considering. "Oh, and the irony! Did you not stop to consider that your minion Tityos was also a bastard son of Zeus? What a clever woman you are."

Hera seemed taken aback, shocked, and hurt. Obviously the twins' words had struck a chord with her.

"I…I…" she stuttered helplessly. She sank back down into her throne, observing them with wide eyes.

After a moment's silence, she stood abruptly and let out an animalistic screech.

"ZEUS!" she screamed. "YOUR MAJESTY! MY HUSBAND!"

She paused, waiting, but nothing happened. She snapped her head over to face Artemis and Apollo so abruptly that a mortal would have gotten a whiplash.

"Where _is he_?" she hissed, assuming, for some reason, that they would know.

Apollo flashed his sister a sly glance before turning to Hera. "Making love to one of his mortal mistresses, far away from _you."_

The words sunk like a sword through Hera's stomach. Her lip quivered. She quickly turned away from Apollo and Artemis.

"Not going to cry now, are we?" Artemis chirped.

Hera wheeled around, angry tears clouding her eyes. "You will pay for this, Letoides. You will pay severely."

She stormed out of the room, shoving Artemis purposely as she passed. Apollo growled protectively, but Artemis laid a hand on his arm. She looked up with him at sad eyes and sighed.

"What have we done?"

* * *

**End Note: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME. But I made it dramatic. Reason being is that I thought, "Hmm, Hera tried to hurt Leto before, but was unsuccessful. Later on, though, she killed her. What could have inspired her to do that?"**

***Points nonchalantly at the chapter above.***

**So I know it may seem like a cliffhanger, but I wrote a chapter (Chapter 25, I think) about Leto's death, kind of. Maybe later I'll do a detailed version.**

**Anyway, the next two chapters will also be mostly sentimental, but after that comes a funny one.**

**-Chelsea**


	29. Pendant

**A/N: Took me for-freaking-ever to upload this damn chapter, due to I used my dad's computer, which I'm hardly ever able to use. Anyway, I've had this idea for awhile now. Enjoy, if you have a mind to.  
**

* * *

_~pendant~_**  
**

* * *

It still hurt to be there, standing in the quiet, empty house that used to be filled with laughter and conversation and the occasional bout of bickering. There was a pot of flowers on the kitchen table, freshly picked; Apollo still changed them monthly as his mother had when she was still alive.

Absently, he ran his fingers over the groove in the wall where Artemis had once tried to stab him and missed. Across the room, resting on the mantel, was a crown that the twins had made out of twigs, specifically for their mother Leto. In the next room over, Apollo knew there was a worn-and-torn old wooden chair that Grandmother Phoebe used to inhabit every time she visited; Apollo and Artemis would always fight over who got to sit on her lap and when.

Apollo eyed the hallway that led to Leto's bedchamber warily. His emotions were already threatening to spill over now, here in the kitchen where Leto would cook. He was not sure if he could enter the place where she actually _slept_ without breaking down.

Hesitantly, he began creeping towards her bedroom. He did it slowly, cautiously, as if she was still sleeping there and he was trying not to disturb her. When he reached her door, he gingerly reached out to stroke the rough wood. So long since this door had last been opened.

He opened it slowly, holding his breath as if the tiniest breath would disturb the artifacts that had for so long been at rest. The sight that greeted him was bittersweet and nostalgic. He almost doubled over in pain at the normalcy of it all – the unmade bed, with tousled sheets as the only sign of a sleepless night; the open chest in the corner, clothes spilling out messily; the window, which was slightly ajar, with its curtains billowing ever-so-slightly in the wind – the only thing that had changed since the last time Leto had been there was the fact that everything in the room was coated with a thin layer of dust. Apollo scanned the room sadly, imagining his mother going about her everyday tasks the morning of her last day, not knowing that she would never come back here to make her bad or tidy up those clothes. He exhaled sharply through his nose, and then plunged into the room hastily.

It felt wrong, being in her room. It felt like he was committing some heinous, unforgivable crime…but this was the only way he could conjure to feel her presence once more. This is the closest he would come to her, now that she was gone.

He approached the window first, peering outside to see the gardens where he and his sister used to spend their days playing and frollicking. He smiled nostalgically and gently reached out to close the window, turning to the bed.

Dear _gods. _It was so _small_! And ramshackle! Apollo wondered how she'd even managed to sleep on that thing. He remembered the two beds with solid gold frames – gifts from Zeus – that he and Artemis had been given shortly after they grew out of their shared crib, and ducked his head guiltily. How had he never noticed this? In retrospect, he was sure Leto could care less about her bed as long as the twins were content, but still…

Sighing, he caught sight of the chest pushed up against the wall, and in a moment of rare pickiness, began folding the clothes that were spilling out of it and placing them neatly back inside. It was as he was laying one of his mother's old tunics in the righthand corner of the trunk that the gold glint caught his eye.

_What the…?_

Leto was never big on jewelery. The only piece of jewelry she ever wore was…

"The necklace," Apollo gasped in astonishment. He gently removed the aforementioned artifact from the corner of the chest and held it up to the light.  
It had been a gift from Zeus to Leto – and a secret one, at that. Had Hera ever known that Zeus was 'showering' his mistress with gifts, she would have gone on a wild rampage (apart from her usual ones, of course). The necklace was well-crafted, and Apollo could only assume that Hephaestus' genius was behind this; sure, it was a little juvenile compared to his usual projects of swords and other weapons, but Hephaestus still had quite the hand at delicate things like necklaces and rings (the poor guy was constantly at work trying to woo his wayward wife Aphrodite, and he assumed jewelry to be the quick fix). The golden chain consisted of hundreds of perfect Olympian gold fibers woven tightly together like a bundle of Demeter's divine wheat. The clasp was simple: as the gold chain came to an end on either side, it formed the beautifully designed head of a serpent. The two serpent heads faced in two different directions, making for an easy way to hold the necklace in place.

Apollo's favorite part was the pendant – a sun and a moon, intertwined, unscathed and perfect. He smiled at the reference to him and his sister. Leto had been so swollen with pride on the day that Artemis and Apollo officially replaced Helios and Selene. She wore this necklace everyday, and only took it off at night, for fear of snagging it sometime during her slumber. Apollo frowned, examining the necklace once more. Had Leto forgotten to put it back on the day that…the day of her death?

He ran his thumb over the surface of the pendant. Whatever the case, he'd found the pendant. Now…what was he meant to do with it? Frame it? Keep it?

Suddenly, and idea struck him.

He scoured the room for a box of any shape or size. His eyes finally rested on a wooden retangular one that was laying on the windowsill. He removed the box from its perch, opened it, and carefully laid the necklace inside the box, making sure to shut it back firmly. There was no way he was letting it out of his sight until it reached its recipient.

* * *

Artemis was never particularly fond of her brother's unexpected visits, especially when he made a point of flirting with her huntresses and showing off. It was on days like this, after she'd just returned from a long, fruitful hunt with her companions, that she was in no mood to deal with her erratic brother.

He showed up anyway.

As he approached her, she could see that his usual smile was tinted with what appeared to be a bit of sadness. She furrowed her brow, crossing her arms defiantly and watching Apollo levelly.

"Brother," she greeted a bit sourly. "You did not tell me you were coming."

Apollo tried at a smirk. "I thought you already knew."

Artemis shrugged. "I suppose I did, but that does not mean I am _okay _with it." She glanced curiously at the box in his hands. "What's that?"

Apollo drummed on the lid of the box with his fingertips, swallowing quickly. "I…I was at Delos today," he explained.

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Delos? Really?"

"Yes," Apollo replied, biting his lip. Maybe this was a bad idea, after all. "I go there monthly, as you know."

"Right."

"And…I found…" He sighed, offering the box to his sister. "Well, just…look what I found, Arty."

Artemis took the box willingly, lifting the lid with a puzzled expression. Her expression softened instantly, and she let out a soft gasp. A few of her huntresses craned their necks in an attempt to see over their lady's shoulder. Thalia restrained them, even though she was a bit curious herself.

"Oh, _Apollo_," she murmured quietly. "It's…" She swallowed. "It's her necklace. I…how did you…"

"I went in Mom's room," he admitted. "I mean, I know that's taboo, and everything," he amended, "but I…I just had to. And then…I found that in her chest." He watched her carefully. "I didn't know what else to do with it, but I couldn't just leave it there, and I thought you might want it."

Artemis merely nodded wordlessly. When she looked up to meet her brother's eyes, her own silver ones were clouded with tears. Apollo offered a sentimental smile.

"You want to wear it?" he asked her.

She ran her fingers over the chain before nodding again.

Apollo lifted the necklace out of the box gently, winking at his sister as she went. She rolled her eyes halfheartedly, blinking her tears away. Using one hand to hold the box and the other to lift her hair from the nape of her neck, Artemis felt the cool gold rest on her skin as Apollo clasped the necklace. She smiled, imagining Leto having the same feeling when she donned the necklace every morning. She turned around to face Apollo, her eyes twinkling.

"Thank you," she told him, out of genuine gratitude. Apollo nodded, smiling lightly.

"C'mere." He opened his arms, and Artemis hugged him briefly, pulling away to take the pendant between her thumb and forefinger.

"She's always with you," Apollo told her. Artemis sniffed.

"I suppose."

The sun god laid a hand on her shoulder. "And so am I."

Artemis rolled her eyes playfully. "I _know_." They shared a laugh. Apollo bent down to kiss her forehead.

"Stay safe, little sister," he told her as he turned to retreat.

"As safe as always, _little _brother!" she retorted, but her eyes were smiling. The pendant twinkled in the afternoon sunlight, and in the Underworld, Leto's heart swelled with joy.

* * *

**End Note: AHHHHH CHEESY CHEESY MCCHEESY MCGEE!**

**/end minor aneurysm.**

**Right. I may have gone overboard on the lovey-doveyness, but y'know...their MOMMY died. :P**

**Haha, goodbye for now, my lovelies.**

**-Chelsea**


	30. The Old Days

**A/N: Okay, I have ALLLWAAYYYSS wanted to write this conversation between them, but I never knew how to. Thank you, TLH, for giving me an opportunity. XD**

**Yet another one-shot taking place during TLH (or maybe a little before; or, y'know, after...I dunno) while Olympus is closed. **

* * *

_~the old days~  
_

* * *

For the first time in her life, the goddess of the hunt had absolutely, positively nothing to do.

And who was she to complain to? It would seem juvenile to go around whining about how impossibly bored she was. She hadn't even done that sort of thing as a child (although the same could not be said for her brother Apollo). So here she sat, with her back against a laurel tree, cursing her father's inane paranoia and wishing that Olympus _weren't _shut down until further notice so that she could return to the Hunters, instead of having to settle for brief and forbidden conversations with Thalia.

The Hunters were probably hopelessly lost without her guiding them. Artemis shook her head and hoped, for Olympus' sake, that Thalia had everything under control.

She plucked a dandelion from the grass beside her and twined the stem around her finger. What to do now? No hunting, Zeus had commanded – not even in what little woodland Olympus had to offer. All deities had to remain as near to the palace as possible in case there was some sort of emergency. Artemis snorted. Obviously the Lord Zeus had grown so used to working with mortals that he had forgotten the full extent of the gods' abilities. She exhaled miserably. No hunting, no roaming –

"There's nothing to _dooo_," came a low-pitched whine from the branches of the tree above her. Artemis reclined her head, and was not surprised to find her twin Apollo hidden amongst the leaves of the tree, perching on a branch with a pained expression.

Artemis rolled her eyes and twirled the dandelion between her thumb and forefinger. "Well, thank you for pointing out the _painfully _obvious, brother," she replied emotionlessly. "I feel inclined to point out that tormenting me with your very presence will do positively nothing to cure your boredom." She glared at him pointedly.

Apollo slid his Ray-Bans down the bridge of his nose, resting them on the tip so that he looked like some kind of rock-n-roll librarian. "It'll keep me occupied until something worthwhile comes along."

Artemis squinted in the sunlight as a butterfly fluttered past her. "Oh, _look_," she sang. "Something worthwhile." She glanced up at Apollo, who was obviously not amused. "Come, now. It's getting away; you'll miss your chance."

"Artemis!" Apollo complained whiningly. "Chasing a _butterfly _will not keep me entertained."

"Already tried?"

"…yeah." Apollo sighed sadly. "Hey, Artemis?"

"What?" she asked, irritated.

"I'm booooorr-"

"Yes! Fine! I understand quite well, thank you!" she snapped. "You're bored – as are the rest of us. And until Father Zeus can relax enough to see that cooperating with humans will _not _be the end of us, we will remain bored." She paused, narrowing her eyes. "Meanwhile…I'm stuck here with you."

Apollo grinned like a madman. "Just like the good old days, eh?"

"No."

Apollo huffed playfully, dropping from the branches of the tree to sit next to his sister. "Oh, yes it is, and you know it. You can't tell me you don't miss our earlier days, when we were carefree and happy."

"I could tolerate you _then_," Artemis grumbled. "I'm not sure how, though. I'd very much like to go back in time and rediscover my own secret."

Apollo nudged her, saying, "Aw, c'mon. I'm not _that _bad."

Artemis used her thumb to pop the head off the dandelion pointedly.

Apollo narrowed his still half-covered eyes. "Nice visual metaphor."

"Thank ye kindly," Artemis drawled sarcastically. She began tearing the dismembered dandelion stem into tiny little pieces, one rip for every time she'd felt the urge to sock Apollo in the face within the past four minutes.

"Just spend the day with me, okay?" Apollo pleaded. "I promise we'll have fun – come on, Arty…"

"Do _not _call me that," Artemis growled. "I have a name for a reason. Please do not address me with any variation of it."

Apollo blinked. "I've always called you Arty."

"And I've always threatened you."

Apollo nodded. "Touché." He examined his sister warily. "Don't you ever live a little?"

Artemis snorted. "Please, brother. What's there to do here? All fun activities have been prohibited by Zeus-"

"That's only because your only idea of a _fun activity _is hunting."

"-and I'm certainly not willing to just spend my day conversing with the likes of _you_."

The god tensed at his twin's words. "The likes of me?" he repeated. He gave a hesitant chuckle. "Arty…I mean, uh, Artemis – I'm your _brother_."

"Unfortunately," Artemis muttered, leaning back against the tree and folding her arms across her stomach.

"That's not funny." Artemis turned to scold her brother for joking with her when the conversation was obviously coming to a close, but she found none of his usual lighthearted humor in his eyes. He'd officially removed his Ray-Bans, and his blue eyes were clouded with hurt.

She sighed impatiently. "Apollo-"

"You don't even understand," he continued, not allowing her to speak. "All I ever try to do is be nice to you, Artemis. Because…I…I don't _want _to annoy you. But somehow I always manage to, and then you don't want to spend time with me."

Artemis glared at him. "How am I meant to spend time with you when you cannot remain serious for more than a few seconds at a time?"

"Because you're _always _serious, Arty!" Apollo argued. "All I'm trying to do is liven up your life. Recently you've just become so…I don't know, routine. And…it's…" He sighed sadly, picking at the grass. "It's not _you_."

Artemis shifted, confused. "And just what, exactly, is _that _supposed to mean?"

Apollo looked at her seriously. "I miss…just…the old days. You know, the days when we were…younger. We were best friends. We did everything together, and we were together everyday – not because we _had _to be, but because we _wanted _to be. And now you're different. Well, not just you – I mean, everything's different. We gradually started drifting apart and now it's like I never see you, and when I _do _see you, you have nothing nice to say to me. It's like you don't miss me at all."

Artemis looked away from Apollo, tucking her legs beneath her body and resting her head in her palm. She considered his words for a moment, and how they were laced with genuine pain. She felt a pang of sympathy, but gave a practiced shrug as if to push the feelings away. She couldn't let herself go too soft.

"That is not true, Apollo," she finally said, still not daring to look him in the eyes. "I, too, remember the days of our youth and smile upon them. But you are right in one aspect – everything is different; now, we each have responsibilities and duties. The Hunters are my adoptive family. I have promised these girls a home with me, and I must fulfill that promise, even if it means growing apart from you." When she looked up, Apollo appeared taken aback.

"You would give me up so easily?" he asked, surprised.

Artemis puckered her lips as if having tasted something sour. "Of course not," she answered quickly. "I phrased that wrong. But I _have _made a promise, brother. I must give these girls their home-"

"Home?" Apollo interrupted. "You're practically gypsies."

"It is the idea of a family that matters," Artemis insisted sternly.

Apollo arched an eyebrow, a flicker of bitter amusement apparent in his eyes. "Family matters?"

"Of course it does."

"And do I matter? I am, after all, your only _true _family," Apollo emphasized.

Artemis inhaled tersely, looking her brother in the eyes. She pondered something for a moment, seeming a bit hesitant and indecisive. Should she, or should she not? Finally, she seemed to come to a decision, as her eyes took on a look of determination and she gently took her brother's hand in her own.

"You matter to me very, very much, Apollo," she told him seriously. "Because I have a busy life, I no longer enjoy the privilege of seeing you as often as I'd like. Also due to my lifestyle, I often grow very stressed, leading to bitter words when I finally _do _see you." She looked down, ashamed. "And for that I am sorry. Truly, brother, I wish for you to forgive my neglectfulness. You are my brother – my _twin_ – and it was wrong for me to treat you so."

Apollo had to smile at his sister's dated way of speaking. He released her hand and patted it with his own. "We both have new lives now," he said sadly. "We can't change that."

"No," his sister agreed. She bit her lip. "But…at least while Olympus is closed…we have no excuse to let that get in the way." She smiled cheerily, mimicking her brother's overjoyed expression.

There was a brief pause and a moment of sheer silence before Apollo finally spoke, "And now we're back at square one – _what to do_."

Artemis frowned at the return of boredom and scoured her surroundings for any sort of fun or frivolity. As she scanned the area, she suddenly froze, her silvery eyes flickering with delight.

"Apollo," she chimed, "look what we have here."

The god narrowed his eyes, grinning wildly at the sight before him. "If it isn't Eros," he said smugly.

"He is alone," Artemis noted slyly.

"No sight of Mommy 'Dite," Apollo agreed in the same way. "Makes for an easy target."

The twins shared a look.

"It's better than nothing," Apollo finally said. "Come on. Let's go make his life a living hell."

* * *

**End Note: ^ Ah, they're so evillll! But oh well, you know my philosophy? If you can actually find something in common with your sibling(s), it is a miracle; therefore, go for it.**

**-Chelsea**


	31. Teddy Bear

**A/N: I'm definitely grounded right now and I'm not supposed to be on the computer. But I'm a sneaky bastard. **

**This shiny new OC is named after the late Caylee Anthony (R.I.P.) whose mother is going to get what's coming to her. Please note that I did not base Caylee's looks on the real Caylee. Obviously I know that Caylee wasn't a ginger. Or a preteen.**

* * *

_~teddy bear~  
_

* * *

Just because the immortal Hunters of Artemis didn't go to school didn't mean they didn't like to play pretend. Although there were virtually no cliques and a sense of sisterhood, there were still those that were haughty and thought themselves better than everyone else; there were still those that sucked up to Artemis, hoping for a place high in the goddess' favor and thus earning the not-so-apt title of 'teacher's pet'; and of course, there was the secretive, catty gossip, much to Artemis' distaste. But girls would be girls, and the goddess had grown to accept that. They still had all the qualities of mortal teenage girls.

That included the way teenagers tended to swarm the new girl to see if she was worth any of their attention.

Caylee stood amidst the crowd of forever-adolescent girls, paling slightly as she saw the way they scrutinized her.

"Have you ever actually _been _hunting?" one of them asked.

"I like your hair," one of them complimented. "I've always wanted to be a redhead."

"It's called a ginger, Ashley."

"I always thought _ginger _was politically incorrect…"

_"Ohmigods!" _one of them interrupted abruptly. "A new girl? Do you mind being my new tent-mate? My current one _snores_!"

"Hey!" Phoebe protested.

"Well, it's true! Do you know how many nights I've gone without sleep because you-"

"Guys, chill," came Thalia's authoritative voice. She put an arm around the newcomer and offered her usual quirky smile. "So yeah…this is your new family. They're kind of annoying," she narrowed her eyes when they opened their mouths to argue, "but you'll get used to them soon enough."

"Oh," Caylee said shyly. "Cool."

Thalia nodded awkwardly. "Right," she began, "well, I'm not sure where Artemis went. I think she may be in her tent-"

She was interrupted as a fiery light came hurtling towards the campsite at full speed. The temperature was growing increasingly warmer, and beads of sweat began forming at each of their brows. The Hunters, save Caylee, let out a collective groan and jumped out of the way of the ball of light. Caylee, confused, turned to Thalia for answers.

"What's going on?" she demanded shakily. "Why's that…_thing _coming towards us? Is…oh my god, is the _sun _falling?"

Thalia gave a small smirk. "You could say that," she admitted. Noting that Caylee only grew even more confused, she clucked her tongue. "Just wait. You'll see."

Given that answer, Caylee really wasn't expecting a red sports car to park itself right in the middle of the campsite. The car sputtered as the driver dragged it to a stop, causing the huntresses to cough.

"What is-"

"Just wait," Thalia replied again, not giving her a chance to finish.

"_Well, _hello, hello, hello!" Apollo called cheerily, hopping out of the car. "You ladies are looking splendid this morning."

"And to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit, my lord?" Phoebe asked mock-politely.

The god shrugged. "The usual." He paused, grinning. "So…where's Arty?"

Caylee swallowed, looking to Thalia hesitantly. "Who's that guy?" she whispered. "And what does he want with Lady Artemis?"

"That," Thalia answered, with a slight roll of the eyes, "is Apollo. He's Lady Artemis' twin brother – although he _insists _he's older – and he always sees it fit to come and visit here when he's less than needed. She doesn't like it. He doesn't care."

Caylee tensed, watching the god interact with the other Hunters carelessly. "Apollo?" she asked nervously. "Like, the _real _Apollo? The…the one with the temper, and everything?" She glanced at Thalia pleadingly. "Isn't he…you know…_scary?"_

"My brother Apollo?" came a smug voice from behind the pair. Caylee blushed furiously as she recognized Lady Artemis strolling towards her and Thalia. She had probably overheard everything that had been said. Nonetheless, the goddess seemed less than annoyed; she smiled at Caylee gently and raised an eyebrow. "That's nonsense. He's a complete teddy bear; especially when you have him wrapped around your finger." She smirked slyly. "Want to see?"

Thalia blanched. It was a rarity for her mistress to act so…childishly, and frivolously. It usually ended in one of her customary temper flares.

"S-sure," Caylee stuttered, her embarrassment slowly turning to curiosity and amusement as the goddess approached her brother.

"Just watch," she told Caylee, smiling over her shoulder. "Brother," she called.

Apollo looked up, grinning as he saw his twin approaching.

"Little sister!" he called, overjoyed. "Good to finally see you again!"

The goddess crossed her arms. "Finally? You mean for the _third _time this week?"

"Hey," Apollo said sternly, "I'm used to seeing you everyday. I think three times weekly is perfectly agreeable."

Artemis shrugged. "Sure," she replied nonchalantly. "Anyway, I'm glad you're here."

"You don't have to get so-" He paused. "Wait…you're _glad _I'm here?" He arched his eyebrows, taken aback, and, most of all, confused.

"Of _course_ I'm glad!" Artemis replied enthusiastically. "I…I…" She sniffed theatrically. "I need your help." She looked up at him with large, hopeful silver eyes.

It was painfully adorable, Apollo noticed.

"Why didn't you just summon me?" he wondered aloud, still hopelessly puzzled.

"Because…I didn't want to bother you," she lied flawlessly. Apollo hurriedly laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Artemis, you know I'd do anything for you, whenever you need me," he told her firmly. She nodded, giving him a (completely fake) grateful smile. "So what did you need?"

"I, erm…" She considered briefly, before giving her brother the most realistic grimace she could manage to pull. "My shift," she decided quickly. "I need you to take over for me."

"Rising the moon?" he asked her warily. "You want me to do it tonight?"

"Forever," Artemis amended, and Apollo blinked.

"_Forever_? Arty, are you freaking kidding?"

Artemis feigned hurt, looking down abashedly. "I…I knew you wouldn't do it. Never mind. It was foolish of me."

Apollo grimaced, pained. "Arty, you have to understand-"

"No, no, I do," she interrupted. She gave another dramatic sniffle, causing the crowd of amused Hunters to force back snickers.

Apollo, taking no notice of his surroundings, save for Artemis, gnawed on his lip. "Artemis…I…"

"I just _really_ could use a lot more time at night for hunting," she said miserably. "Rising the moon takes a lot of time out of it." She sighed pathetically. "But oh, well."

Apollo inhaled sharply. "I mean…I guess I could work _something_ out…"

Artemis' face lit up with a dazzling white smile. "Could you _really_?" She looked her twin brother straight in the eyes. "I would honestly appreciate it, brother."

Apollo, who was torn between acting as the sun god that was entirely too busy and the overprotective older brother who would do absolutely _anything _for his sister, swallowed tightly. "I'm not sure, though, Arty…don't get your hopes up."

The goddess frowned slightly. Suddenly, as if a brilliant idea had hit her, her face brightened. Caylee didn't miss the clever smirk she sent her.

Artemis moved closer to Apollo, quickly launching herself into his arms and resting her head against him. She tilted it upwards to make eye contact with him, and as he confusedly hugged her back, she made a point to quiver her lip as she whimpered, "_Please_, Apollo. It would be the best thing you ever did for me."

Apollo looked away, avoiding her gaze. He cursed her cuteness internally as she continued to beg.

"I would love you forever," she swore to him. "You would be doing me a huge favor." She narrowed her eyes when he still didn't respond.

Suddenly, she smiled to herself. She turned to Caylee, her eyes saying it all: _The grand finale, just you watch._

"Please…_big brother._"

Apollo's neck whipped around, and he stared down at Artemis, wide-eyed in disbelief. "I…uh," he stammered. He watched her warily, then sighed in defeat. "Ah, what the heck. Of course I'll take your job, Arty. You don't deserve that much responsibility – it's _stressful_! Poor little baby sister. I feel awful for not volunteering sooner!"

Artemis unlatched herself from Apollo, smirking smugly. She turned to Caylee. "I told you," she announced proudly. "An absolute _teddy bear." _She nuzzled Apollo's arm pointedly, then backed away as he began putting two and two together.

"I…you were _faking_?" he asked.

Artemis shrugged. "I was just trying to make a point," she said.

"Your point being?" Apollo pressed.

"That you are wrapped around my finger," his sister replied with a small smile.

Apollo grimaced. "Hey! That's not…" He considered for a moment. "Okay, that's completely true. But still! Playing me like that? _Wrong_." He paused. "Although…you _did _finally call me your big brother." Artemis rolled her eyes at his shit-eating grin.

"Only because I was acting," she replied. "I would never honestly call you _big _brother."

"You just did."

"I was just trying to get my newest huntress accustomed to you!"

"Sure, that's what it was."

As the siblings continued their bickering, Thalia turned to Caylee.

"So, the short answer to your question is no, Apollo is _not _that scary," she commented drily. "Unless you do something to hurt or offend Artemis. _Nobody _messes with his baby sister."

Caylee laughed shortly, then came to an abrupt stop. "Oh god…you weren't kidding."

Thalia sighed. "Nope."

Caylee shrugged, eying Apollo. "Anyway…he's pretty hot."

"I know," Thalia sighed absently. Immediately, she realized her mistake, clamping her hand over her mouth. "Oh gods, you _cannot _tell anyone I said that!"

"You _like _him," Caylee said smugly.

"I do not!"

"You do too!"

And the rest of the Hunters were left with _two _different arguments to…ahem, _overhear.  
_

* * *

**End Note: I love the Hunters.**

**On an entirely separate note, are any of you _Hunger Games _fans? Because I am soooo excited for the movie. Jennifer Lawrence (aka Katniss) is from Louisville, Kentucky. All we do is win. (; **

**-Chelsea  
**


	32. Inseparable

**A/N: I just got back from Panama City. It was exactly what I needed.**

**My first day of high school is Monday. Save me. I'm serious. Stop smirking, I fucking need your help.**

* * *

_~inseparable~  
_

* * *

"And I swear to you, it had to have been like…eighty miles long!" Apollo ranted to his sister, following her to her throne on Olympus as she continued to ignore him. She slid into her throne and grew to her full immortal height, staring down at her brother with raised eyebrows. He hardly seemed to notice, as he continued, "And I almost had a heart attack! Or, you know, _whatever _it is we have. I still haven't figured that out…these are the questions that haunt me…" He paused thoughtfully, then shrugged and resumed his storytelling, which Artemis found increasingly irksome. "So anyway, I saw the snake and I was like, _'Whoa damn! That thing is like…big!' _And I didn't really move 'cause, you know, it was eighty miles long and stuff-"

"It was a snake, Apollo," Artemis interrupted drily, less than amused. "We encountered them many times on Delos."

Apollo appeared startled, staring up at his sister with wide eyes and his mouth ajar. Eventually, he shook his head rapidly as if trying to clear his thoughts, though when he stopped his expression was still one of disbelief.

_"Artemis_," he began unbelievingly, "Obviously, I've dealt with snakes before. But _not _in my friggin' _bathroom_, okay? I don't even know how it got into my _condo_. And anyway, on Delos, there were _sticks _to poke them with! What the hell am I supposed to poke a snake with in my bathroom? A loofah?"

Artemis sighed, desperately willing the conversation to end, but humoring her brother by responding, "Certainly; I don't see why-"

"Trick question," Apollo interrupted quickly. "I don't use a loofah, sis."

Artemis glared down at him. "How many times have I _asked _you not to _call _me that?"

Apollo quirked an eyebrow. "Approximately none," he answered unsmilingly. "You've only _demanded _it of me."

Artemis slammed her palm into her face, causing her twin to wince empathetically. "And one would _think _that demanding it of you would make more of an impression!" she snapped, glaring at him through her fingers.

"Hey now," Apollo replied childishly, "It would work better if you were nice about it. 'Please' and 'thank-you' are the magic words, Arty."

Artemis poised her giant foot to send a well-placed kick to Apollo's…well, everything, considering his height, when Zeus cleared his throat, eying the twins pointedly.

"Apollo, please take your seat," he said evenly. Apollo pouted slightly, but smiled in his sister's direction and took off toward his own throne nonetheless. As Apollo took his seat, Zeus authoritative voice announced, "The Council of the Gods has begun."

* * *

After the council had ended, Apollo took no less pleasure in hounding his sister, following her everywhere she went and constantly attempting to strike up a conversation; almost desperately, she noticed. Her brows meshed together as she noted his peculiar behavior, searching for any of the telltale flares of emotion - one of the absolute only benefits of being his twin, in her opinion - that might explain his newfound attachment to his sister. She frowned slightly as that thought crossed her mind. Right, so it wasn't exactly _newfound_, but he was still unusually eager all the same.

Deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt, Artemis told herself that he'd been away from her for too long (even though he'd just visited her two days ago) and that the deprivation of the presence of his twin wasn't good for his mental health (although, she told herself, _nothing _could salvage his mental health). So, however reluctantly, she did not object when Apollo opted to tag along when she went to have words with Hestia, nor did she argue when Apollo remained glued to her side loyally when Zeus requested to see her, _alone_ - Hades, she'd even defended him when Zeus continued to emphasize the _alone _part.

It was when she thought to visit her temple for some peace and quiet, as Apollo knew she liked to, and he followed her anyway, that she began to suspect something was truly amiss with her brother.

She turned at the entrance to her temple on Olympus, watching her brother expectantly. He stared back at her calmly, obviously unsure as to why she had stopped.

"Apollo," his sister said evenly, "I want to be alone now."

"I'm sure you do," he replied cheerily.

"What do you mean, _you're sure I do? _You should be sure I do, because I'm sure I'm sure I do!"

A pause.

"What?" Apollo asked, confusion written plainly on his face.

"For the gods' sakes Apollo, _leave_!" Artemis growled. She poised herself at the entrance to her temple, sure her brother would comply - honestly, he wasn't usually _that _persistent, and doing anything for his 'little sister' usually included giving her what she wanted - but she waited nonetheless, wanting to see for herself the sight of his back facing her as he walked away.

But he stood his ground, replying with a simple, "Well…no."

"W-what?" Artemis sputtered in disbelief. "I…you…" She narrowed her eyes, considering. Finally, she exhaled briefly through her nose and crossed her arms. "Well, brother. I will admit that I am impressed with your nerve today."

Apollo grinned. "Thanks, sis." He stepped forward, nudging her arm gently to slip past her into the temple. "Soo, what're we doing today? Spying on mortals? Counting your hunting trophies? Doing some Zen meditation shit?"

Artemis glared at her brother, who was currently amusing himself with a pair of antlers resting next to her throne. "Watch your language in my _temple, _brother!" she snapped. "And _we _are not doing anything. _I _was prepared to check on my Hunters, and _you _were just leaving." She yanked an antler from his grasp and pointed towards the exit.

"I can't _leave_," Apollo whined. "That would ruin everything."

"Yes, everything as in nothing," Artemis said. "I warn you, Apollo, my patience is slowly slipping away from me. You know very well what happens when I grow infuriated."

"Perhaps too well," her brother agreed thoughtfully. "Anyway, I can't leave your side. It's against the newly instated Law of Twins."

The auburn-haired goddess snorted. "There is no such thing as a Law of Twins. Please, take your nonsensical ideas somewhere else. I have much business to attend to."

"Just because you're unusually protective of your little huntresses doesn't mean you have to check up on them twenty-four seven, sis," Apollo complained. "Now come on, let's do stuff."

Artemis eyed him smugly. "Just because you are unusually protective of your little sister doesn't mean you should hound her all day. Now leave."

Apollo opened his mouth to retort, only to pause as a satisfied smile found its way onto his face. "You called yourself my little sister."

"I was making a point," she argued.

"No, you were admitting that you're my _little _sister!" Apollo sung. "This is awesome, Arty, really! The first step of adhering to the Law of Twins: agreeing with each other completely and totally."

"_Aughh!" _Artemis groaned. "Your stupid Law of Twins does not exist, brother. I'm not sure what you're playing at today, but it is not humorous in the least."

"It does exist, Arty. Honest." Apollo turned to face his sister seriously. "It all started after I killed the snake in my bathroom with a lighter."

"A lighter-"

"After that was taken care of, I got bored. And then, out of curiosity, I started browsing the internet you know, just trying to get a little insight into the world of mortals. And somehow I stumbled uponthis site about twins and dude, it was eye-opening. Did you know we're supposed to finish each other's sentences?"

"No."

"And wear matching clothes?"

"No."

"And do everything together, no matter what?"

Artemis sighed. "No, Apollo. Because we're not. You are truly an idiot to honestly believe the mortals' interpretation of how we should behave. This so-called Law of Twins is based entirely on stereotypes. As the god of wisdom - and believe me, I _do _use that term loosely - one would think that you would be able to determine this."

Apollo frowned. "So, we're not supposed to have twin telepathy? Weird…"

"No. _Weird _is you, following me around all day because a mortal website, probably created by a pedophile with a fetish for twins, insisted that real twins fit all the stereotypes set by society. What an imbecile you are." Artemis shoved her twin towards the exit to the temple.

"Besides," she continued, "I myself find that I am much more comfortable with being your twin when you are _far, far away._"

* * *

**End Note: Apollo's a dumbass.**

**I was talking to my twin friends, and they were saying how they hated when people asked them if they could finish each other's sentences or expressed to them how ah-dorable it would be if they wore the same outfit, only in different colors. And then my Fan Fiction detector went off.**

**This one is not my favorite. I feel like I literally had to force myself to finish this one. Fear not, guys: I PROMISE I will stop feeding you guys crap, because I'm going to have lots of fun next chapter… :D**

**Guess what else? REVIEW RESPONSES. Yes, I'm actually going to get back to doing that, because I hate when people leave anonymous reviews and I can't respond to them! :P So next chapter, I'll reply to your reviews for THIS chapter…make sense?**

**Speaking of making sense, DOC MANAGER DELETED all of the elongated hyphens I used to separate my sentences at certain points. I think I replaced them all, but if at some point the flow doesn't make sense, let me know, and I'll go back and fix it.  
**

**Love y'all.**

**-Chelsea **


	33. Games Pt 1

**Author's Note: I am back and better than ever! **

**...well, I'm back. I have missed you guys so incredibly much, and I very desperately want to get back on track with my writing. So here you have it.**

**Part one, because this thing is already way longer than my usual chapters (WHICH I AM PROUD OF) and if I continued and made this all one chapter, it would be so long that you guys would get halfway through, announce, to no one in particular, "Fuck this shit," and exit out of the screen.**

**I apologize if this seems more Hunters of Artemis centric than Artemis/Apollo centric. As it has (obviously) been awhile since I've written for the PJO fandom, I am trying to become comfortable with all of the characters again, including my OCs.**

**Also, just a note: I am not very well versed in the world of The Heroes of Olympus (she admits sheepishly). So the majority of these oneshots will take place post-TLO pre-TLH. _Tu comprends? Oui_, let's begin. **

* * *

_~games pt. 1~  
_

* * *

Apollo watched the storm unfurling over the roaring gray ocean from the front window of his island condo, clucking his tongue disapprovingly at the mess. Zeus and Poseidon were at it again, having another siblings' tiff, and the mortals were to suffer for it. He couldn't remember precisely what they were quarreling about this time around, but he was almost positive it had something to do with their daddy issues. Regardless, the storm was raging on along with their argument, and due to the immortals' poor sense of time, little spats like this, which lasted perhaps a few days at the most for humans, could drag on for a few _years_. The sun god pulled the curtains over the window, obscuring the nasty storm from his view, though the cacophony of thunder, lightning, and rushing sea water could still be heard even through the thick pane of glass.

Apollo sank back into the crook of his leather sofa, relieved. It was times like this that he was thankful for the solitude this remote getaway home offered – away from everyone and everything and not having to deal firsthand with the bickering of his father and uncle. His family was far from normal, he'd long since accepted, and he'd do anything to get away from their drama - even if drama was nice sometimes...and even if he often played the provocateur towards his relatives.

As he was snuggling into a plush golden throw pillow, a sound startled him: across the spacious interior of the condo came the unmistakable sharpness of a rapt, loud knock. Then two. Then three. Confused, he righted himself and listened attentively. _Rap, rap, rap_. Yes, knocking – no mistake about it. Suddenly alert, he tossed the pillow aside and jumped to his feet, approaching the door cautiously. The knocking grew more impatient and there was less space between the taps now; _rap rap rap rap rap rap rap! _Silently, he neared the door, wondering who it could be. This little island was so remote that it'd be near impossible for anyone to locate it; he'd made sure of it before he had it built. The only people that might know how to find him would be his contractors, but why would they be here? Maybe they, like most other mortals recently, were going ballistic over the unusual weather patterns that had started up just yesterday, and were coming to ascertain that his condo hadn't, say, been sucked into the ocean by a freak hurricane. Anybody else who could be at his door would have to have happened upon him by chance. Perhaps it was a lonely old fisherman seeking shelter from the raging storm. Maybe it was Poseidon, having risen out of the ocean, coming to give news of the argument with Zeus. _Oh gods, _maybe it was one of his booty calls and –

_OH, Apollo, for the sake of my sanity, _please _open the door now!_

The god jumped back, surprised that the words were not spoken aloud but rather sort of implanted in his mind, as if they were his own thoughts, before he recognized the voice.

"Ar-Artemis?" he stammered. He could almost feel her roll her eyes in response.

_Yes, you imbecile! _was her telepathic response. _Now let us in!_

Us? Apollo quickly unlocked the door and swiftly opened it, upon which being faced with a group of young girls, his sister at the head of the group.

"Girls," Apollo greeted the Hunters, still confused.

"So glad you finally decided to let us in, brother," Artemis said dryly. Apollo noticed suddenly that Artemis and the Hunters were all drenched from the rain, the goddess remaining poised and composed while the others were shivering madly.

"Eheh," Apollo chuckled nervously. "Sorry about that."

Artemis waved him away, sidestepping him and entering the condo while saying, "It doesn't matter now. As long as we have a warm, safe place to sleep for the night, I suppose you're forgiven. Come, girls, I'll show you to your chambers."

Apollo blinked slowly as the girls filed in behind Artemis, before inquiring, "Um...am I missing something? Arty, what's going on?"

His sister turned to him, amused. "It's storming all across the country, brother. I'm sure you're aware of the trivial disagreement our father and uncle are currently having. The rain is unusually strong, as well as the lightning being particularly powerful – we've witnessed at least eight forest fires since yesterday before the rain washed them out. Such strong weather is difficult for even my enchanted tents to stand up against. The girls and I needed somewhere to stay, and we were sure you'd be more than happy to assist us."

Apollo considered, his eyebrows furrowed. "Ohhhhh-kay, um...you really should've called first."

"Why?" Artemis asked, arching an eyebrow curiously. "Have you a lover in your bedroom?"

The Hunters snickered at this, and Apollo groaned, rolling his eyes. "_No_, sister. Not tonight."

The goddess stood determinedly before her brother, arms akimbo, and replied, "Well then, brother, what might be the issue with our resting here for the night?"

"Yes," Thalia added smugly, "Do tell."

Apollo glared at the demigod daughter of Zeus, not taking his eyes from her as he answered, "Listen, sis, I really was just kind of hoping to have tonight to myself, you know? I come here to get away from everyone – no offense or anything – and I don't know how I feel, honestly, about having you and the girls stay here tonight."

Artemis smirked, crossing her arms. "Dearest Apollo," she began, "I am sure you can recall the countless times that I, along with my companions, have assisted you in your times of need. Indeed, your antics are quite remarkable and those instances were truly unforgettable. Taking this into consideration, then, I am sure, upon reconsideration, you will deem it completely appropriate for us to stay here for the night."

Apollo sighed in surrender. "I can't believe I'm saying this," he grumbled, "but...I...I guess you guys can stay."

Their reaction was not quite what he had been anticipating. Popular amongst most people, Apollo was used to being shown admiration and gratitude, but instead of brimming with appreciation and excitement, the Hunters just trudged along knowingly after Artemis, who was leading them through a hallway to their temporary bedrooms. The sun god snorted, watching the group of girls as they trailed after their mistress.

"Ungrateful," he sneered. "Whatever. I'm going to make them adore me by the time the night's over."

A few minutes later, the girls, accompanied by Artemis, reentered the room. Apollo had resumed resting on his sofa. When his guests returned, he looked up briefly from his smart phone (custom made by Hephaestus, his only pride and joy after his sun car) which he had been toying with and asked, "All settled?"

"Something resembling settled," Artemis granted. "It would appear there's not enough room for everyone, but I'm sure we'll figure out some sleeping arrangement."

"Ah," the sun god grinned. "You know, if need be, a few of the girls could bunk with _me._" Apollo winked at Thalia, who retched theatrically.

"No, you insatiable animal," Artemis spat, "I can assure you that we are perfectly fine without _that_."

"Delightful!" Apollo exclaimed happily, rising from the sofa. "Okay, so first things first: everyone needs to get in her pajamas!"

"That _is _typically what one does whilst preparing for bed, brother," Artemis approved sarcastically. "I don't think the girls required your assistance to determine this."

"Nonsense, Arty, no one's going to bed _yet_," Apollo chuckled.

Artemis raised an eyebrow skeptically. "How daring of you to declare so, brother," she commented, "but I will have you know that the girls have a strict midnight curfew on non-hunting nights, and it's nearly ten minutes til as we speak."

"Oh, come on, Arty," Apollo pleaded. "I bet – actually, I _know_ – the girls never get to stay in plush, cozy little homes like mine. And I'm sure you knew before you came here that I wouldn't let you have your way _that _easily. Come now, don't the girls deserve a little fun every now and then?"

"Well of course," Artemis replied, amused. She turned to the Hunters pointedly. "Girls, what is your idea of 'fun'? Is it spending quality time with my dear twin?"

The huntresses remained silent, save a few who pulled faces at the undesirable thought.

Artemis faced her brother smugly. "I rest my case."

"You didn't give them time to answer!" Apollo protested.

"I assure you that _that _was not the reason behind their silence," Artemis muttered as Apollo slithered past her and draped an arm around Thalia.

"C'mon, Thals, what do you say to a good ol' fashioned pillow fight?" he suggested, squeezing her tightly.

"I say not in a million years – _literally_," Thalia replied indifferently, removing his arm from her shoulders. Apollo pouted. He stood before all the Hunters.

"But come _on_, you guys!" he insisted. "We could eat ice cream and watch scary movies with popcorn and play games like Truth or Dare and Spin the Bottle and make prank phone calls to Hephaestus and pretend like we're Ares calling for Aphrodite and maybe sneak into the Underworld and steal a bunch of dead people while Hades isn't looking and have a party _with dead people_!"

He was met with blank, uninterested expressions before Phoebe proclaimed, "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard."

Apollo sunk to his knees dramatically, mock-groveling. "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEAASEEE, you guys! For me?"

"Never."

Apollo rose, crossing his arms authoritatively and announcing, "Well then, if you guys are going to be difficult, then we're just going to have to do this the _hard _way. This is _my _house, and I was generous enough to let you all stay here, so now you have to do things my way. My house, my rules. And the first rule is that you have to either be wearing pajamas or nothing at all. Preferably the latter."

Artemis smacked his arm. "OW! Okay, pajamas it is then," he amended.

Thalia glanced at Artemis pleadingly. "Milady, do we have to?" Her tone resembled that of a wayward, whiney child.

Artemis pursed her lips and glared at Apollo. "Hunters, as you're all very much aware by now, my brother Apollo is selfish, determined, stubborn, and headstrong. For one thing, nothing I or any of you say to him will cause him to change his mind, and for another, if we do not partake in his silly games, I do believe he would not hesitate to kick us out. Now, I will leave the choice up to all of you: please take a moment to decide whether you would rather partake in Apollo's frivolous amusements, or trudge through the violent wind and rain."

Phoebe groaned. "This is honestly one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make."

"Ditto," Thalia grumbled in agreement.

Artemis crossed her arms as they deliberated, watching them carefully. "Well?"

Thalia sighed. "Phoebs, can I borrow a pair of sweatpants? I only have spandex shorts." She eyed Apollo warily.

* * *

The huntresses sat impatiently in Apollo's living room, wishing they could just go to bed and pretend they weren't sleeping within close proximity of their mistress' obnoxious twin brother. They had all made sure to clad themselves in as much clothing as possible, not wanting to be scantily dressed in front of the sun god to avoid his inevitable stares. He stood before them, beaming, and his sister stood off to the side, exasperated; she didn't want to take part in any of her brother's trivial little games, but she felt it was her duty to watch over her companions. Regardless, she knew he would eventually drag her into this somehow.

"Okay, ladies," Apollo announced, grinning. "I am very glad you could be here with me tonight."

"That's not what you said earlier," one of the girls grunted, and the others mumbled their agreement.

Apollo continued his speech seamlessly: "I have many things planned for us tonight. So many things, in fact, that this could take us all the way until the early morning!"

The huntresses groaned. "I _need _sleep!" Thalia protested.

"You can't do this to us!" Phoebe growled. "It's abusive!"

"No no no, it'll be _fun_!" Apollo assured them. "Just hear me out, girls. The first thing we're going to do is a universal favorite: we're going to _stuff our faces_!"

There was a thoughtful pause as the Hunters considered.

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad," Brooke admitted.

"Yeah, I mean, I am pretty famished," Caylee agreed. Soon enough the rest of the huntresses were vocalizing their agreement, and with a smile, Apollo led them into the kitchen. They arranged themselves around the island counter, Artemis on the far left side. Apollo stood before them, winking before he spoke.

"There are a few traditional sleepover foods," Apollo began. "Help me out, girls."

Silence.

Apollo rolled his eyes playfully. "Oh, come on, girls. Don't tell me you've never been to an actual sleepover before."

"Uh...pizza?" Caylee suggested hesitantly.

Apollo snapped and rolled it out to point at Caylee in a single fluid movement. "Bingo, sweetheart - "

"Don't call my huntresses _sweetheart_," Artemis interrupted.

" – pizza is indeed a favorite sleepover food." As he spoke he eased open a cabinet behind him. The cabinet opened to reveal what seemed to be a pitch black void, which Apollo reached into. He pulled out a large pizza box, and opened it to reveal a steaming hot pepperoni pizza.

Thalia's eyes widened. "How did you - "

"Next up," Apollo continued, laying the pizza box on the counter for the girls to dig in. "Any suggestions?"

"Ice cream!" Ashley cried around the bite of pizza she'd just taken.

And so went the next fifteen minutes, with the huntresses calling out the names of any foods their hearts desired and Apollo summoning them from his enchanted cabinet. Artemis looked on in disgust as her companions pigged out, stuffing their faces with anything they could.

"Brother," she hissed, pulling him aside, "you are going to make them ill!"

"Chill, sis," he replied (Artemis glared threateningly), "They can go a little longer and then I'll make them stop. No problemo."

"You had better hope so, brother."

Indeed Apollo stayed true to his word, distracting the girls as they were feasting by announcing, "_Ooooookay, _who's ready to have some fun?"

Thalia wiped her mouth on a napkin. "Define _fun_."

Apollo narrowed his eyes slyly, producing his cell phone from behind his back.

"Prank. Calls."

* * *

"Okay, okay, I changed my mind," Brooke admitted shakily. "I don't want to do it."

The others groaned. "Come on!" Phoebe urged. "Aren't you supposed to be, like, really gutsy?"

"Yeah, at _fighting_," Brooke growled. "I hate talking to people."

"Well _someone_ has to do it," Caylee pointed out. "What kind of prank phone call would it be if we all just sat there silently?"

"An amateur one," Apollo replied to the rhetorical question. "Caylee's completely right. Someone has to do it. Who's it going to be?"

"I'll do it," Thalia shrugged.

Artemis gasped. "My word! Thalia Grace, I never thought you'd willingly take part in my brother's silly games."

Thalia blushed. "Sorry, milady," she apologized sheepishly.

"As my lieutenant, I would have expected you - "

"Arty, Arty, Arty," Apollo interrupted softly. "What did I say about my house, my rules? Thalia's just doing her part in helping you guys not get kicked out. She's taking one for the team. I think that's pretty admirable. Now leave the poor girl alone."

Artemis huffed. "I apologize, Thalia," she said quickly. "I was blaming _you _for my _brother's _idiocy."

Apollo rolled his eyes. "Don't be like that, Artemis. You could always join us, if you wanted to."

Artemis narrowed her eyes menacingly. "Never in all of eternity would I ever even consider partaking in such immature, childish, and foolish frivolities. That you would even suggest such a thing has the potential to offend me."

Apollo whistled sarcastically, turning to face the Hunters. "Whaddaya think, ladies? Mayhaps we should just kick Arty out into the rain."

The goddess blanched. "You wouldn't dare."

Apollo snorted. "Have you met me?"

"I…" The goddess folded her arms over her chest in an almost childish way, glaring at her brother with the livid attitude of a typical annoyed sister. "I will participate but I will not enjoy it, and nothing you can do will make me."

"Very well then," Apollo responded, grinning. "Say, Thals, you don't have to make the call after all. Let's let Artemis go first."

"There is no way I am - "

"It's storming pretty hard out there, sis."

The goddess sighed, defeated. "Don't call me sis. Give me that phone."

Thalia obliged, and Artemis ran her fingers over the phone's glass screen. She looked up at Apollo questioningly. "Who am I calling?"

Apollo smirked, leaning in to whisper in his sister's ear. The goddess gasped.

"_No_, Apollo," she snapped. "I cannot and _will _not do such a thing. How awkward. How _repulsive_. How uncharacteristic of me."

"Yes," Apollo sighed, "it really is quite a pity that it's so unlike you. I'm only trying to get you to have some fun. But as you mentioned, I can't _make _you enjoy it. I'm still requiring you to do it, though. My house, my - "

"Fine," Artemis muttered briskly. "If I _must_. But I will inform you that after this night is over and you can require _nothing _of me, it will be my purpose to clarify _everything_."

Apollo shrugged with open palms. "Do what you will."

Artemis cleared her throat, turning her attention back to the phone. She slowly navigated the menu, selecting the 'contacts' and choosing one carefully.

"How did you even manage to procure this number, brother?" she asked, stalling.

Apollo winked. "I have connections, dear sister. Now please – we're all waiting impatiently."

The Hunters, who had been looking on silently all the while, seconded his statement.

Muttering under her breath, Artemis hesitantly pressed the 'Call' button and reluctantly put the phone on speaker for everyone to hear. A faint nervous blush appeared on her cheeks as the person on the other line spoke drowsily: "Hello?"

"Ahem. Yes, Perseus Jackson, this is the goddess Artemis."

A pause.

"L-Lady Artemis?" Percy stuttered. "What are you…I'm really not even supposed to have my phone at camp with me…are you…you have a cell phone? I…"

"This is Apollo's phone," Artemis interrupted. "And I…" She swallowed thickly, glaring at her brother, who winked at her teasingly. "I was just calling to inform you…"

"Is something wrong, Lady Artemis?" Percy inquired, suddenly alert. "Oh gods…my dad and Zeus…I mean, I knew they were fighting, but…is it serious? What happened? Are they going to drag _us _into it again? Oh Hades…"

"What? No!" Artemis snapped impatiently. "I…I was calling to inform you…_of-my-undying-love-for-you-I-want-you-so-badly-oh-Perseus-please-love-me._"

Artemis retched as she finished vocalizing the lines Apollo had fed to her. Apollo snorted loudly, and the Hunters paled, speechless, mouths agape. Under her breath, Thalia muttered something that sounded like, "I think I'm going to be sick…"

Artemis was a bit unnerved by the prolonged silence on the other end of the phone conversation. Finally, Percy spoke again, confused and shaky.

"I, uh…well…um…I uh, am…flattered, I guess, but uh…I have…um, a girlfriend, milady, and uh…you…maiden…and uh…"

Apollo was fighting back laughter, and at this point the huntresses were torn between being in awe at the fact that their mistress would do this and joining him. Eventually about half of them started biting their lips and releasing little giggles, while the other half still wondered if perhaps this was not Artemis, but some frivolous doppelganger.

Annoyed with the actions of her company, Artemis rolled her eyes and prepared to tell Percy the truth: that Apollo had put her up to this, none of it was true, and she was very, truly sorry for both disrupting him and confusing him.

"Perseus," she began, but Percy cut her off:

"Look, Lady Artemis, I just think the age difference would be an issue," he said seriously.

"_Age difference_?" Artemis snapped over the uncontrollable giggling of all her company. "I'll have you know I may be millennia old but I do not look a day over fourteen!" she continued, genuinely offended.

"Well, yeah, but it'd still be weird," Percy admitted. "Plus, I think Apollo might rip my balls off if I tried to come anywhere near you."

"Damn straight!" Apollo seconded over the laughter of the huntresses.

Artemis sighed exasperatedly, desperately wanting to put an end to all this nonsense. "Fear not, Perseus," she said warily, "there will be no genital mutilation, as this was all merely a silly prank Apollo put me up to. I do not harbor any romantic feelings for you, nor anyone of the male species, nor anyone _at all_. Please do not dwell on this, and promptly resume resting…or whatever it was that you were doing."

"There's only so many things that a teenage boy can be doing alone, in his cabin, at night," Brooke muttered suggestively.

Phoebe snorted. "Boys."

Artemis disconnected, rising from where she sat angrily and with a reddened face.

"That was eventful," Apollo commented, smiling crookedly.

Wordlessly, Artemis narrowed her eyes even further and fluidly flung Apollo's phone across the room.

"My baby!" cried Apollo in an animalistic yelp as his cell phone soared through the air. Luckily, it landed in the plush crook of his sofa, unscathed. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank Leto," he breathed. "Anyhoo, thank you, Arty, for your delightful participation!"

"Delightful," Artemis repeated dryly.

"Now," Apollo said as he turned to face the huntresses, who were patiently awaiting his next announcement, "we are going to kick things up a notch."

"This can't be good," Thalia noted suspiciously.

Apollo winked. "Maybe not for you…but certainly for _me._"

* * *

_to be continued_

_(isn't that ominous?)  
_

* * *

**End Note: …that felt good. No, really. I can feel myself getting my ass back into gear. **

**So, Chelsea, what's changed since you died and resurrected?**

**Here are some things about my life:**

**1: I now have an amazing boyfriend. His name is Lawrence, he is my best friend, and I love him vurry much. **

**2: I survived freshman year. _'Nuff said._**

**3: I have come to terms with my full atheism and misanthrophy. Fuck yeah for that shit. :D**

**So yeah. :3 I missed you all _immensely _and I am sorry for my inconsistencies as a person and a writer. Few things:**

**1: I kind of want to go back and edit/rewrite (don't flinch at that word!) Sunrise. Mercu (aka AtheisticPokemon) urged me not to, 'cause she was all like, "BLAH BLAH BLAH it's my godbebe BLAH BLAH BLAH don't change it, it's purrrrfect," but I was like, it's gross. Why do people like it? Anyway, what do you guys think I should do?**

**And 2: Do any of you draw/paint/do computer art or photo editing? Just wonderin', because I may or may not be contemplating having a contest…**

**Haha. _Au revoir_, lovelies.**

**~Chelsea**


	34. Walk With Me

**Author's Note: -hands up in surrender- Okay, okay: I won't rewrite it. I'll leave it intact, in its shitty entirety. Also, I'm not even going to pretend like somebody talked me out of it. My own **_**laziness**_** talked me out of it. So **_**IF YOU ARE READING THIS MERCU AND I KNOW YOU ARE **_**here you have it – a brand spanking new original chapter. **

**I've had this idea for **_**such **_**a long time – like, even back when I was **_**very very **_**active on FF – and I was scared to attempt it because I thought it'd seem OOC...so I guess it's safe to say this chapter is AU. So, without further adieu, m'loves...**

* * *

_~ walk with me ~_

* * *

She'd always found it sort of funny that if one rummaged around enough in the rubble left behind by a haphazard disaster, a miracle could be unearthed. For years – decades – _centuries, _she'd watched these diamonds in the rough, sparkling and magnificent, be discovered by everyone around her; these hidden gems were nothing short of life-changing, with the power to turn the beholder's world completely upside down in ways never before imagined. It was a devastatingly beautiful thing; it made her feel empty. She had premonitions of these events, having grown all too familiar with the nature of fate, and accordingly gave a knowing smile each time she witnessed such an occurrence. After a very long and predictable while of watching the Fates gift each and every soul around her with his utmost, deepest desires, it began to gnaw at her very core; swallowed by the day-ins, day-outs of the past, she was soon unable to put her finger on the very moment when it all started to seem less miraculous and more dreary. Like clockwork, she watched it happen: an entire city would be wiped out by a massive, relentless storm, and an interviewee describing it on the news would bear a _striking _resemblance to a supposedly orphaned half-blood's mortal mother; a split in the earth caused by a raging Poseidon's shaky wrath would uncover a precious ancient artifact the gods had pondered the location of for millennia; so on and so forth, every life would be altered dramatically, save for hers.

She had quite begun to resent the whole phenomenon until one day, her shining moment came, and she was unable to feel anything but love and joy and the thick pressure of suppressed laughter welling up in her chest – a hug, a breathy whisper – now the unfamiliar sting of salty tears, like an old friend – bordering on uncanny stranger – coming to visit, tentatively ringing a doorbell connected to dusty heartstrings, untouched by anyone for far too long.

"_My lord!" _had come the melodic cry, ringing across the vast halls of Olympus one fine day some weeks ago. The voice had belonged to none other than Nyx, the ironically bright goddess of night, the sweet guardian of the twinkling skies. "_My lord, Zeus!"_ she had rasped; her brokenhearted voice had echoed throughout the palace; godlings and nymphs had poked their intrusive heads out into every which corridor, leaving the distressed goddess to dodge them as she continued in her desperate search.

She had slammed into Demeter, prepared to launch into a breathy apology when the goddess had taken her pale hands into her own warm, comforting ones and inquired, in a soft, motherly tone, "By the honor of the gods, my dear, what _is _hurting you so?"

Losing her balance, Nyx had almost collapsed on the spot. "Something," she had begun shakily, "is very, very wrong."

As it had turned out, souls were littering the earth; constellations were losing their hold on the spirits they contained. Nyx had explained that she had tried everything in her power to stop it, but to no avail: the spirits were most definitely loose.

"Well, no matter," Zeus had grumbled, massaging his jaw line. "A few loose spirits can hardly wreak very much havoc. If it so distresses the mortals, they'll simply tell a few more ghostly tales about it and move on with their lives. We are at liberty to take as much time as we need to remedy this situation." A few of the counsel had echoed their agreement.

Nyx had swallowed before piping, timidly, "Well...that's not exactly all of it."

This had captured the attention of everyone in attendance. Zeus had shifted in his throne, sitting upright. "Well," he boomed, "go on, then, child."

The small goddess had wrapped her arms tightly around her slender frame. "The spirits...they are not _only _spirits." She'd glanced around the room expectantly, then cleared her throat weakly. "They...they are the fully-embodied people they were before they died."

Very few of the members of the pantheon had bothered to stifle the gasp that came as a response to this revelation. Zeus' eyes had widened; Hera had rested a gentle hand over his gradually whitening knuckles.

"Before they _died_," he'd mused. "So this must mean – "

"Yes," Nyx had confirmed, "Thanatos is infuriated."

She had taken this opportunity to speak up, before things could grow too solemn; Apollo had been monitoring her with shifty, quivering eyes, almost as if daring her to say a word.

"Pardon me, Lady Nyx," Artemis' young but authoritative voice had rung out, "but..._all _of the contained souls have been released?" The night goddess had given a timid affirmation.

So that was it then. She'd just been told, plain and simple, the one thing she'd always dreamed she would eventually find to be true. Goosebumps had risen over her milky skin like her soul had awaken from a long, horrible dream; she'd simply _known_ that her silver eyes were glowing with delight, surely everyone in the room had –

"But, Lady Nyx," Apollo had interceded immediately afterward, "you have come here because you want to fix this?" He'd watched Artemis' reaction out of his peripheral vision. "You don't _want _to allow these undead to roam among the living?"

Artemis had reddened.

_Do not speak of him as if he is some horrid, rotted zombie out of a distasteful mortal film_, Artemis had shot telepathically.

_For all you know, he could be,_ her twin had responded, without even a glance in her direction.

Artemis had glared holes into Apollo's skin as Nyx gave a wordy response about how she would not be ethically opposed to allowing the dead to live once more, just that she feared Thanatos' wrath and desired, at the very least, an explanation of these events.

"We will fix it," Apollo had declared decidedly, and the rest of the Olympians stared incredulously at this display of leadership. Artemis had stormed out as soon as the council was dismissed.

* * *

They did not "fix it"; upon further investigation, Hades had explained that the presence of souls in a domain apart from his realm had greatly perturbed not only himself, but also all of those who shared his "living" space, and that neither he nor Death himself were at all concerned with the current state of those souls who had been released, so long as when they died the second time, they would be ushered promptly to the Underworld to receive their final judgment. Nyx had assured him that their afterlives would be placed solely in his hands, and hurried back to Olympus to report her findings to the council. Upon hearing the news, Apollo had stiffened, and his twin had welled up with joy.

"And those souls of which we have been speaking?" she'd inquired excitedly. "Do you know their whereabouts?"

Nyx had beamed brightly. "Of course, my lady!" She'd turned to the rest of the gods to begin her thorough explanation. "One thing I suppose most of you had not considered was how the lost souls would fare in the modern mortal world. Seeing that the majority of these star-bound spirits passed in the golden ages of our rule," – many heads had bowed in mourning of the aforementioned period – "they would only be frantic and confused if thrust into the thriving urban world as it is now." She'd paused. "So...I took it upon myself to collect them – since, after all, they _were _under my care and dominion. They are waiting outside, my lord, Zeus, if you have need for their presence."

"Yes, send them in," the king had agreed, and as if on cue, the great doors had opened to reveal a group of familiar faces, one of which shone like a diamond in the rough.

"Oh," Artemis had squeaked upon beholding him; the sound of her voice had torn his eyes away from all of the other sites there were to behold. Upon making eye contact, a smile brighter than anything she'd ever seen had broken out across his glorious face. Without much regard for the others in the room, Artemis had leapt from her throne and sprinted over to him, bounding into his open arms tearfully.

"You," he'd begun in a hushed tone as he tucked her head comfortably into the nape of his neck, "have not changed a bit."

The goddess had released a gross sob against his tanned skin. "It all comes," she'd mumbled, quickly pulling back to allow herself to be heard, "of being immortal, my love."

Orion had held her at arms length, observing every inch of her; everything was as he remembered it to be. Watching his grey eyes scan her frame, a sudden pang emotion had come over her.

"I've loved you every day," she'd proclaimed, vaguely golden tears streaming down her pale face. Wordlessly, he'd pulled her into another embrace, letting his own tears soak into her auburn hair.

A firm hand had wrapped around her forearm soon after; she'd retreated from the embrace, looking up to see her brother, his uncharacteristically stony eyes locked in a solid glare on his sister's would-be lover. "I hate to interrupt," he'd lied venomously, "but our father has requested to have words with us, right now."

"Both of us?"

"Just the two of us. Now."

* * *

"I _love _him, father," she'd begged, groveling at the king god's feet. He had taken them to the empty dining hall for conference. "Please, I beseech you: let me be his wife. I will not resign from my reign as goddess of the hunt; I will remain a steadfast role-model and leader to the girls belonging to my Hunt; I will be the strong, determined woman I was before, only now with someone by my side through it all."

_Only now with someone by my side._ Those words had stung Apollo more than they probably should have.

"No, you will not," he'd spat bitterly. "Look at you; on your knees, reduced to tears already. You're sacrificing your dignity for this no-good, one-time, loverboy fool."

"It takes one to know one!" Artemis had spun angrily on her brother. "_Doesn't it_, Phoebus Apollo? What do _you _know about love, you filthy playboy rat? How could you even conceive of what _I _– your own twin – am feeling right now, let alone what _he _is feeling? _You _are the one-timer here!"

"I know!" Apollo had growled, rising angrily from his seat. "I'm _warning _you because I _know _this ritual better than anyone else! He'll grow tired of you, Artemis! He'll take you for granted, he'll tear your heart to pieces! You'll be absolutely _nothing _by the time he's through with you! Don't believe me?"

"Of course I don't believe you!" she'd snarled in response, standing to face him. "He's loved me for _centuries _now!"

"_He's been fucking comatose_!" Apollo had snapped. "No – no, not even comatose: _actually fucking dead._ He doesn't even know where he is right now, Artemis! He legitimately thinks he's right where he left off – a few weeks into this. Give him a week or two more, and he'll be gone!"

Artemis had then seemed to flail senselessly, like an angry child. "Why in _bloody hell_ does this bear any significance to _you? _You've no part in this! Leave me to make my own decisions!"

"Artemis! I'm just trying to _protect _you – "

"You do not _own _me!"

"Enough!" Zeus had roared, finally deciding to play the mediator in this senseless quarrel between his twin children. He'd turned directly towards Artemis then. "You love him? You are sure you love him?"

Artemis had sunken back to her knees, looking up at Zeus with wide, teary eyes. "_Yes_," she'd sworn. "I love him like he put the stars in the sky – stars to make the moon less lonely." The king god had softened at this.

"Father," Apollo had interjected, "he is a _mortal, _father – "

"You could grant him immortality, Father; I assure you, he deserves it."

"Artemis has taken a vow of _virginity_ – "

"I do believe women have just as much of a right to alter their virginal status at any given time as men do."

Zeus' eyes had flashed between them accordingly as they spoke. Finally, he'd heaved a heavy sigh. "Very well," he'd agreed slowly, "a wedding."

* * *

Now she sat before a vanity table in the goddess' quarters, wild hair tamed and released from its taut braid, forming unimaginably soft waves. Currently, her hair was unadorned, but Aphrodite had excitedly promised her that that would be remedied before the ceremony started. She had refused to be coerced into a long, restricting dress; instead, she had decided to wear a hunting garb that was simply slightly more lengthy than her usual one. However, Aphrodite had somehow managed to disguise it as a wedding dress, anyway. Silver embroidery displaying sentimental symbols such as a crescent moon, twinkling stars, and a bow and arrow lined the bottom trim of the dress; when Artemis and Orion left the altar as husband and wife, her veil – pulled back, of course, during the ceremony – would display full moons at the trim, as a sign of her unity with Orion completing her. Silver bracelets and armbands decorated both of her arms, and a jingly anklet that she swore would be the death of her rattled on her right leg. Aphrodite had begrudgingly agreed to allow her to wear a simple pair of silver sandals, for comfort as opposed to fashion. As a gift from her huntresses, a glimmering, long necklace dipping well past her sternum displayed huge, sparkling diamonds set in that customary silver color. She smiled softly when she saw it, remember how her lieutenant, Thalia, had taken the news (_"Oh gods, this is so weird, this is so weird, this is _so _weird!")_. Her eyes flashed back upward, and she held her own gaze in the mirror. A decorative, moon-shaped chakra had been placed between her brows, but the absence of any adornments in her hair did not cease to irk her. Where _was _Aphrodite with those damned hair accessories, anyway?

As she had this thought, the door creaked open, and a blonde head poked in. Apollo bit his lip nervously at the sight of his sister, whose facial expression did not change upon his entrance. "Well, uh...," he began lamely, "...disappointed?" When she did not respond, he sighed and approached her, sitting on the stool to her left, resting a small box on his knee. "Look, I know you're probably still mad at me – "

"I am not," she interrupted softly. "I do not have room to be angry with anyone on this wonderful day."

"Ah, then you'll be mad again tomorrow," he joked, and a tiny flicker of a smile played on her stoic lips. He exhaled. "Arty...you deserve to be happy. You really do." She paused, surprised by the sincerity of his words, and wondered if he'd continue. He certainly did not wait for an invitation. "I'm sorry I'm so protective of you," he rushed. "I don't want to make you feel like you can't make your own decisions, or like I'm trying to control your every movement, or anything. I just...neither of us are married, y'know? Well, not at this very moment, anyway...and certainly not before. So, it was kind of weird. I mean, I thought it would always be that way – you and me, bro and sis, living life free of romantic commitments and instead relying upon one another for strength." He looked up at her weakly. "I just want you to be my litt – I mean, my _twin _sister," he amended, "forever. And now, I think that your primary concern will be...being his wife." He shuddered involuntarily at the use of the word. "Dammit, it's just so _strange, _you know? Like, you're gonna be someone's _wife_, and that's...that's just not you. That's never been you. I mean, my bad – maybe it is _now_ – but I never imagined it would be. It's just..." He breathed. "It's crazy."

When he finally stopped speaking for more than two seconds, he caught the brimming tear's in Artemis' eyes. "Oh, Apollo," she breathed tearfully. She wrapped her arms around his neck and avowed, "I promise I'll always be your sister, Apollo, dear. I could not change that aspect of myself even if I wanted to – of course not; we're _twins, _for gods' sake!" They both chuckled quietly at this. He smoothed her hair for a few seconds, then pulled back from the hug.

"I've got something for you," he told her.

Ah, yes – it must be from Aphrodite.

"Not from 'Dite," he corrected her, picking up on her thoughts while her guard was down.

"What, then?" she wondered aloud, shifting uncomfortably at the anticipation.

"This is from me, and someone else. Someone special," he explained. "Aphrodite does know I planned to give it to you, though – it's been incorporated."

"Go on, then," Artemis encouraged, borderline impatiently. With a small smile, Apollo fingered the lid to the box in his lap. It creaked open to reveal a shining circlet against the midnight-black velvet lining of the case. Artemis gasped; this piece of jewelry was all too familiar to her.

"You didn't – "

"It's for you," Apollo murmured, taking her hand. "It's what she would want."

The circlet's central emblem was an entwined sun and moon, the tendrils of the former twining protectively around the latter. The circlet itself was a sort of entwined metallic thing, but the most magical aspect of it was in its back story: it had once belonged to Leto, the twins' mother.

Before she realized it, Artemis found herself crying even harder, gasping for air at the sweet sight. "Apollo," she choked, "this means...very much to me."

"I know," her brother responded gently, pressing his lips to her forehead. He removed the circlet from the case, standing and walking behind her, peering over her shoulder into the mirror. "Now wipe those tears, beautiful. We've got a wedding to get to." Apollo reached behind him into a bag Aphrodite had obviously directed him to search for, producing Artemis' intended veil from its depths. He expertly incorporated both the circlet and the veil into Artemis' hair, until she stared back at a picturesque bride.

"Stunning," she found herself saying, biting her lip when she realized the arrogance of her words. Apollo laughed at this, helping her to stand.

"Are you ready?" Apollo asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Almost," she replied, smiling up at him. "There's something I've forgotten to ask you, brother."

"Well, what is it?" Apollo wondered. "Artemis, it can't be urgent, we hardly have time..."

"Apollo," she began gently, "will you give me away today?"

The words sunk like a rusty dagger into Apollo's especially tender heart. Now, it was his turn to tear up. He averted his gaze before she could notice. _Give her away? _A sudden realization struck Apollo across the face, and he was able to look at her directly again.

"No," he said firmly.

Artemis, struck by his surprisingly harsh reaction, took a step back. "No?" she repeated.

"No," Apollo confirmed, "because I do not own you. You are not my property. I am not 'giving you away' to anyone. You are simply getting married, and I am here to assist you. I cannot and will not give you away, because that is the sort of chauvinistic behavior the Artemis that I know and love would positively deplore."

Artemis grinned at this, slipping an arm in the hook that Apollo's formed. "Well, then," she began simply, "will you 'walk with me'?"

Apollo chuckled. "Of course, my dearest sister," he agreed, "just as I have every day since we were born."

* * *

**End Note: So, I figured I **_**could **_**go on to describe the ceremony, but face it – how many cliché "happily ever after" endings have you read in your life? Nah, I figured I'd spare you that and end with a just-right, gushy brother-sister moment. **

**Still, not sure if I like it. Perhaps, in my absence, I've lost my touch? Eh, I dunno. Hope you guys are feelin' it.**

**missed you btw.**

**~Chelsea**


	35. Competition

**Author's Note: Welp, the verdict is in, and reviews most definitely still make me engage in dancing a little jig (perhaps more enthusiastically than I am willing to admit). Despite my prolonged absence, you guys continue to show me an overwhelming amount of support with your sweet comments and well thought-out criticisms, and every review makes me smile. I really can't thank you enough!**

_**A NOTE ABOUT CONTINUITY:**_**this is a friendly reminder that the majority of these one-shots are in no way connected, so you don't have to worry about Artemis and Orion being a permanent thing. Unless I say otherwise, Artemis is the same chaste babe as always!**

**Also, there might be a bit of implied Thapollo in this one. Sorry if you don't ship it.**

* * *

_~ competition ~_

* * *

A rambunctious group of young huntresses were strolling leisurely through the woods and back to their campsite, gradually winding down from an eventful day on the hunt. As a result of an uncommonly high amount of concentration, the girls had scored two full-grown bucks and a few rabbits, and Thalia had even rescued a distressed bear cub from a poorly laid out trap. ("Mortal hunters in these woods," Artemis had muttered lowly. "They've not the common sense to think of the animals outside of their amateur hunt.")

The enthusiastic chorus of laughter and chatter died down, the group nearly heaving a collective sigh, red-faced from mirth and clutching their sides. Thalia wore a weary smile as the entourage approached the camp, a little village of silvery tents strung together by hung lanterns, glowing dreamily in the starlit evening. The sight encouraged a yawn on her part; visions of collapsing carelessly onto her pallet danced in her mind. She slid her quiver off of her body, prepared to toss it aside so as not to leave an obstacle in way of her traipsing, but fingers pressed coolly against her forearm, and she came face-to-face with an amused Lady Artemis.

"Milady," Thalia murmured tiredly. Artemis flashed her a smile.

"Thalia," she responded. "Before you rest your head, I'd like to have a word with you in my tent."

"Of course, milady," Thalia agreed, nervously casting aside her hunting equipment. She'd never quite seen the goddess in such an agreeable mood at this time of night; she wondered what she'd want to speak with her about.

Thalia followed her mistress into the largest tent, still taken aback by the sheer interior size of the lodging. "Seal the tent up," the goddess requested, making herself comfortable on a deerskin throw. "I do not want any of the girls overhearing this quite yet," she added with a smirk. Thalia obeyed, lacing the tent closed (the Lady Artemis found the antiquated lace-up tents quite a bit more charming than those equipped with zippers).

Thalia took residence next to Artemis, perching atop a log that had been furnished into an intricate stool. She obediently waited for the goddess, who was occupied with removing her circlet, to speak.

"Sit behind me," Artemis commanded, shifting to accommodate the extra person. Thalia wordlessly took her place behind the goddess, and knowingly began to plait her hair. Artemis smiled; she was, of course, perfectly capable of doing this herself, but she knew allowing her lieutenant to take on this duty was a very much-appreciated sign of trust and companionship. "You have been doing outstanding work lately, Thalia. Do not think that your efforts have gone unnoticed by me."

Behind her, Thalia flushed, tucking a stubborn piece of her own inky hair behind her ear. "Thank you, milady," she replied meekly, "but it isn't all me. Every one of those girls loves being a part of this alliance, and if it wasn't for their passion and dedication, my job would be a whole lot harder."

"They are encouraged by you," Artemis commented placidly. "You are very much a role model to them, my dear Thalia."

Thalia reddened further. "Thank you, milady," she repeated, curious as to where this spiel was headed.

As if on cue, Artemis explained, "I wish to reward you." She paused, waiting for Thalia's reaction. When only silence came, she continued, "I know this may seem...unlike me, but your dedication to the Hunt has led me to believe that perhaps you girls deserve a...'day off'."

Thalia froze at the term; a 'day off' from the hunt? That was nearly blasphemous. She could hardly believe what Artemis was implying.

Realizing the goddess was awaiting her response, she quickly scrambled to formulate a sentence. "What sort of day off, milady?" she asked. She could only envision a day devoted to lounging around, not attending to any prominent duties, though she was sure something like that would drive her mistress absolutely berserk. Perhaps the huntresses would be offered the chance to spend one full day and night in a luxury hotel as a break from the constant camping - but on further consideration, Thalia was sure that even the famed Plaza fell short compared to a goddess' abode.

"Well," Artemis began, leaning her head into Thalia's hand as her lieutenant finished with her scalp and moved on to her cascading hair, "I suppose it would be up to you, really. I have something in mind, but since it would actually be bettering you as huntresses, I'm not sure it would actually qualify as a break – especially considering what you would have to subject yourself to..." She winced at the thought of it.

Thalia loosened her grip, mistaking the goddess' pained look for one caused by her treatment. "You do know best, Lady Artemis," Thalia flattered, smoothing a bump in the braid. The goddess took this as encouragement to disclose her idea.

"Alright," Artemis sighed. "My immediate thought when I originally considered offering you girls a break was a day of festivities. Only, the only sort of festivities I could really imagine that would be suitable for our situation were the sort I was raised around." She paused, turning slightly so that Thalia could see the contours of her face – smiling lips and lowered lashes. "Archery competitions."

"Archery competitions?" Thalia considered this suggestion, and soon found herself smiling too. Although the Lady Artemis was clearly the superior archer, the huntresses had never really considered examining one another's skills and weaknesses. An archery competition would be a nice experience for all of them, especially since she knew firsthand how many of the girls would jump at any chance to be competitive. "That sounds wonderful, milady!" She stopped, recalling the ominous dip in the goddess' tone towards the conclusion of her otherwise pleasant explanation. "Milady, if you don't mind me asking, what is it that we would have to 'subject ourselves to?'"

Artemis tensed, adjusting to face Thalia as the girl finished off her braiding. "Do not concern yourself with that just now. If you are excited by the thought of an archery competition, this more...unfortunate aspect I speak of can easily be overlooked." She gave Thalia a small, sleepy smile. "Now, off to bed, my dear. We've got quite the day ahead of us tomorrow."

* * *

Thalia unintentionally woke before the dawn, yawning quietly and carefully sidestepping her tent-mates, supposing the Lady Artemis would like a hand in organizing the day's events, since she knew the goddess would be awake at this hour. When Thalia poked her head out of her own tent, she saw that the Lady Artemis' was wide open. The goddess herself was nowhere in sight. Disturbed by this knowledge, Thalia dashed out into the campsite and began scanning the area frantically, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. She had begun to truly panic when she was alarmed by a voice sounding from a nearby clump of trees, pouting, "Oh, _honestly._"

A pair of thin legs dangled gracefully from a tree branch, on which Artemis was perched. Wondering who the goddess was addressing, Thalia warily approached the tree.

Distracted, Artemis did not sense Thalia's presence until the lieutenant cleared her throat. Startled, the goddess clambered down from the tree, breathing heavily.

"Oh, Thalia!" she greeted, faking a smile. "You are up unusually early. I was not expecting to see you now...you must be truly excited."

"What were you doing?" Thalia asked bluntly. She kicked herself mentally – she really _should _address her mistress more respectfully, but she felt so disoriented from having risen before sunrise that it was difficult for her to apply much logic to her actions.

Artemis, on the other hand, seemed to take no notice of her companion's uncharacteristically casual demeanor. She fidgeted with her garb fretfully. "I was...planning for today. Yes, I was," she declared proudly, beaming at her ingenuity. (Well, it wasn't a _lie_, was it?)

"I see," Thalia emitted. "Could I be of any assistance to milady?"

Artemis blanched. "I...not quite yet, dearest," she stammered. "Why don't you – ah, curse me, let's see..._oh! _You could make sure everyone's equipment is in perfect condition."

"Perfect?" Thalia echoed skeptically.

"Yes, perfect," Artemis repeated. Thalia shrugged, turning on her heels to tend to the goddess' wishes, when Artemis added, in a shout, "_And _be sure to count the arrows! Twice!"

"Yeah, okay," Thalia muttered, confused. Count and recount the arrows? She was certain that the huntresses' arrows appeared magically to fill the void in the quiver when one was removed, but knowing not to question Artemis' authority, she obliged without further comment.

Artemis only exhaled when she was sure Thalia was out of hearing range, and even then, very quietly and briefly. Steaming, she wheeled around and stormed back to her spot in the trees, leaping into place as adeptly as an acrobat. Once comfortable, she resumed muttering: "Where the _hell _are you?"

_Relax, relax, I'm on my way. I have other _duties_, you know! Sun god; ring a bell...?_

Artemis fumed at the sound of her brother's telepathic voice. _Well, make it quick! _she replied snappily. _Thalia's awake already, and I desperately wanted you here before that happened. I fear she will talk some sense into me if she knows you are coming before you arrive..._

_Ah, so you 'desperately want' me there, _Apollo responded. Artemis groaned – the ego boost there was dreadfully palpable. _Never thought I'd hear you say that, sis! I'm gonna just go ahead and take that as an invitation to come whenever I wa-_

_No, _Artemis interrupted bluntly. _Just speed yourself along. I don't have all morning._

Not waiting for a reply, Artemis alighted gracefully from the tree branch and looked over to see Thalia dutifully counting the huntresses' supply of arrows by hand. The goddess winced, knowing that her lieutenant had likely seen right through that flimsy excuse. _Well, it's not as if I had very much time to fabricate a story, _Artemis defended herself. _Still, you should have planned for something like this! _her subconscious argued.

Disregarding her internal conflict, she approached Thalia with a forced smile. The girl looked up from her assigned task, arrow in hand, with a concerned expression. "Are you all right, milady?" she inquired, dropping the arrow and dusting her hands on her knees. She stood from her kneeling position so as to be closer to the goddess' eyes. "You look...stressed, to say the least," she commented; she drew closer and caught a glimmer of worry flashing in her mistress' silvery irises.

Artemis knit her brow, waving Thalia away. "It is nothing," she lied, not bothering to maintain the faux grin anymore. Thalia bit her lip, watching her knowingly.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with those complications you mentioned last night, would it, milady?" she wondered aloud, distractedly crouching down to scoop up the arrows she'd carelessly dropped to the ground. She knew enough to give the goddess her space when she was deciding upon just how much information it was prudent to disclose.

"It may," she finally responded, vaguely. "Oh, Thalia, you needn't worry about those arrows anymore. We'll merely have the others assure that everything is in order with their own sets when they rise. Come with me; we'll busy ourselves with more important things."

Curiously, Thalia again tossed aside the ammunition and followed Artemis as the latter strode confidently before her, leading her to a stack of bull's eye targets piled in the corner of the campsite whilst muttering to herself. Thalia hugged herself, protecting against the biting early-morning breeze. She still wasn't quite sure why the goddess began planning and working so early; it didn't appear as if there was very much busy work to be done. Increasing her pace so as to find herself strolling alongside her mistress, she timidly piped, "Milady?"

"Hmm?" the goddess replied distantly.

"Is it really...is it somehow out-of-line for me to inquire about the _nature _of these complications? I know that I've brought them up numerous times, but I was just unsure as to whether you didn't address them purposefully or because you were unaware that I was genuinely curious." In the seconds that passed, she awaited the much-anticipated response in silence. Artemis herself had stopped short, leaving Thalia to stumble clumsily in an attempt to remain adjacent to her mistress.

Artemis sighed. "We are to have...a visitor today," she responded coolly. "An _expert_," the word seemed to taste bitter on her tongue, "on the art of archery. However, I am beginning to fear that my trust was misplaced in inviting this additional person, as they have not been prompt with their arrival. In fact, they had better be here soon, or I predict a wrathful explosion on my part..."

"I see," Thalia commented absently. "What's the latest you're expecting them?"

"Sunrise," Artemis replied carefully, gauging her lieutenant's response. At first, the girl seemed unaware of the single word's implications – even murmuring a contented, "Ah" – but it soon began to sink in. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully – and, Artemis noted, rather fearfully – as she turned to face the goddess once more.

"Sunrise?" she repeated. Artemis nodded, wearing an expression of obvious shame. "The visitor comes at sunrise, is an expert on archery, and is unreliable?" Artemis' expression grew more pained, and she was soon unable to face her confidant. Thalia groaned.

"Milady, with all due respect, I do not think that a decision to withdraw your invitation would be misplaced."

Artemis massaged her temples, irked. "Unfortunately, Thalia, I am afraid the mistake has been made," she said regretfully. "My brother – though running late," she seemed to direct this inwardly, even rolling her eyes upward as if glaring furiously at her own mind, " – will not leave even if asked at this point. We must – to put it as you mortals like to do – 'deal with it'."

"But...Lady Artemis!" Thalia whined childishly in protest, sinking to the ground with a pout. Artemis sighed and leaned against a tent's stake, awaiting the slur of _'He's horrid!' _and _'We all hate him...even you!'_ that would surely follow that display, but none came. Instead, something inside Thalia's head clicked. She grinned mischievously up at her mistress. "Aren't you the one who always insists that even if he _taught _you archery, you're still better at it?"

Artemis squirmed. "Well, yes, but even if I _am _more talented than my brother, we are _both _more talented than all of you – _collectively _ – and I do not think I will find myself able to manage an entire day of archery-related festivities without the assistance of - "

"_And_ besides, this is _your _turf!" Thalia interrupted, risking igniting the goddess' fury. "I mean, come on, milady – you _totally _kick ass! Are you really going to let your annoying twin brother rain on your parade?"

Shocked, Artemis began declared, "Thalia! While I am in agreement with your opinion of my brother, he is still a _god_, and you should not speak of him in the manner that you do."

The longer the goddess did not respond in clear favor of Thalia's opinion, the less hope could be heard in her voice and the more desperation slipped in. Groveling, she clambered towards Artemis, saying, "You know you're capable of babysitting a hoard of eternally adolescent girls armed with bows and arrows – isn't that your job description? So screw Apollo, I mean - "

Just as Artemis was about to chastise her lieutenant for directly contradicting her orders, a bright light verged on the horizon and a loud yet distant whooping could be heard. Artemis began her order: "Thalia, cover your - "

But the girl knew the procedure, and when the goddess turned to assure that she was being agreeable, she was met with the sight of Thalia, still on her knees, with her eyes closed and her hands fidgeting in her lap, grumbling under her breath. Pursing her lips in a maternally disapproving way, she returned her attention to the clearing in the center of the campsite, where she was sure her brother would haphazardly park his disguised chariot, leaving the huntresses to dance awkwardly about the steaming vehicle to manage something as simple as standing comfortably. Artemis groaned inaudibly as she danced her pale fingers up the bridge of her nose, beginning to wish she had appeased Thalia's complaints.

The sun car lurched to a noisy stop, hissing from the heat. Apollo hopped out without bothering to open the door, approaching his sister with open arms. "Arty!" he exclaimed excitedly. Artemis glided out of his reach expertly.

"I expect you to be especially cooperative today," she said dismissively. Apollo doffed his sunglasses with a dazzling beam.

"Aren't I always?" came his melodious, smooth, and ever self-assured voice. Artemis flicked his arm promptly.

"No," she snapped, "and quiet down. The others are sleeping. You'll wake them." She turned to face Thalia once more, seeing that her eyes were still sealed shut. Her expression had somehow soured even further since their conversation prior to Apollo's unwelcome arrival. "Thalia, Apollo has parked. You may open your eyes now."

"I know, milady," Thalia replied sweetly – her facial muscles grew tauter – "I am _choosing _not to. I'm not sure I'm ready to face the reality yet."

Artemis exhaled sharply as Apollo glided past her with a smirk, kneeling so as to reach Thalia's eye level. He suavely rested a finger on the underside of Thalia's chin, tapping it gently. "Chin up, beautiful," he purred. "You can't be glad to see me if those stunning eyes aren't open."

"I wouldn't be glad to see you, anyway," Thalia growled after recollecting herself. Apollo's smirk broadened; she'd never admit to the effect he had on her.

"Ah, you only play angry because you and I both know how incredibly charming I am," he insisted, waving her away with a pat on the head. "You won't even allow me to help you up?" Thalia slightly cracked an eye open to see that the sun god was offering her an extended hand. She shivered at the thought of his comparatively warm touch.

"I'll help myself up," she muttered, hoisting herself off of the ground and dusting off her garb while purposefully ignoring his outstretched hand. Apollo chuckled, resting his hand on Thalia's back instead. She recoiled viciously.

"Brother, stop flirting with one who has taken a pledge of maidenhood," Artemis ordered, but it lacked fervor; she had grown inevitably weary of correcting her twin's incessantly violating behavior. "Thalia, please go wake the others."

Her lieutenant obliged obediently, sending a cliché, 50s-televison-esque "Hmmph!" over her shoulder at Apollo. He smiled after her, then approached his sister, arms akimbo, who narrowed her eyes at him.

"Tsk, tsk, Arty," he began playfully. "Step one of having a fun-filled, adventurous day: do not begin the day with a frown!"

"You are not exactly helping with my situation, then," she snarled. "I warn you, brother: today is not the day to push me."

Apollo held both hands before him in mock surrender. "Alright, alright," he agreed, leaning beside her. "You really gotta lighten up, sis. You want the girls to have fun, you gotta act as an example for them."

Artemis cocked her head thoughtfully. "It appears you actually have a valid point," she murmured begrudgingly. Her annoyance, however, was not long absent, as she continued, "Though my idea of 'fun' certainly does_ not_ match yours. I do not want you to be the example I set for the girls; we shall most definitely have to tone _that _down a bit." With a pointed look, she wandered off to check on the others. Apollo scoffed.

"Haters."

* * *

"Okay, we're starting with something a bit simple because Artemis likes to be boring!" Apollo announced with a clear attempt at sounding authoritative. The aforementioned goddess was resting in a lawn chair, legs crossed and head resting in palm in a remorseful manner. Taking no notice of the fact that his sister was already quite weary of his antics, Apollo continued, "As you can see, we have lined up a row of bull's-eye targets. Two chicas to every target; pick your partner now."

The huntresses scurried to find partners; Thalia quickly linked arms with Phoebe and the two leapt to a target of their choice, standing a few feet away. As the other girls sorted out their teams, Thalia turned to Phoebe and muttered, in a low voice, "Maybe if we play by our own rules, he'll just go away."

Phoebe had just flashed Thalia a disapproving look and was about to reply when Apollo boomed, "Alright, looks like everyone's set! Now here's the deal – this is a competition, ladies! That hottie standing next to you – _ow, _Arty! – she may be your partner, but from this point on, she is _not_ your friend." Apollo paused to let the foreboding sink in, but the huntresses merely seemed unimpressed; a newer recruit even yawned. "Alllll-_right_," he continued, unaffected, "listen up, then. This may be a fast elimination, but again, I didn't organize it: Arty did! And we all know how prudish and uptight and horrific – _ow! _– anyway, I didn't make the rules. You and your partner will be competing to see who is first to get three bull's-eyes in a row. The winner moves on to the next round, where I've decided to spice things up a bit." His eyes glinted mischievously. "Alright, any questions?"

"Yeah," Phoebe's hand shot in the air. "What about the arrows? Is there going to be time to remove them from the target before another turn is taken?"

"I already handled that!" Apollo beamed proudly. "They're enchanted arrows, remember? They'll just come right back to ya. No need to worry. Any more?"

"Um," a shy voice sounded from the back of the group; they all turned to observe, "y-yeah," the new recruit began, "What if we don't have a partner?"

Apollo half-smiled coyly. "Don't you fret, pretty little thing; _I'll _be your partner." He began to stride over to her when he collided with a less-than-amused Artemis.

"Going somewhere?" she spat, glaring up at him. Apollo feigned innocence.

"Why, yes, Artemis," he replied sweetly. "It seems as if that lovely maid down yonder is without an archery partner. I lovingly offered to join her."

"Yes, perhaps a bit more _lovingly_ than anyone cares to know," Artemis muttered, earning a hushed collective chuckle from their audience. "_I _will be Veronica's partner; _you _will supervise." She approached Veronica, but turned over her shoulder to add, "And I mean supervise the _game_, _not _the girls."

"But that's not fair!" someone shouted. "If Lady Artemis plays, we'll all lose." Apollo perked up.

"_And_, if Apollo plays," Thalia began, "it'll have the same outcome." She glared daggers at him; he merely winked in return.

"I...I just won't play," Veronica volunteered weakly, wrapping her arms around her sickly frail frame. Artemis knit her brow.

"No, no, that won't do," she murmured, concerned. "We can't have a new recruit left out, I..." Artemis paused, turning on her heels. "Thalia, dear..."

Thalia clenched her jaw. "No," she whispered.

Artemis smiled kindly. "It would help very much if the numbers were even, and since you _are _my lieutenant - "

"With all due respect, Lady Artemis - "

"Why, I think even _you _playing would be extremely unfair to the other girls," Artemis cooed. "You would have quite the advantage, being second-in-command and all..."

Phoebe sniggered, watching Thalia succumb to Artemis' flattery. "Y-you think so?"

"Oh _yes_, dear," Artemis reassured her. "You'd simply excel! We don't require your involvement to know that much."

Thalia giggled like an overwhelmed little girl. "Well, if you _insist_, milady."

"Wonderful!" Artemis chimed. "Veronica can work with Phoebe. Thalia, love, assist Apollo with supervision."

Thalia froze as the words translated: _Babysit my pig of a brother, I've other things to worry about._ Her lip curled at the thought of it, but having already agreed to resign from the game, she merely snarled, "Fine," under her breath, combating Phoebe's playful nudges as she trudged over to where Apollo stood, grinning.

"I knew you couldn't stay away for too long," the god teased, reaching out with the intent of patting her hair.

"Touch me and I scream," Thalia threatened, sidestepping his hand.

* * *

The competition began without an excess of ill-behavior on the part of the sun god, but Thalia still resented that she had to remain with him for the duration of the game. Apollo would cheer and yelp each time an arrow sailed into the center of the target, and as he was distracted by the festivities, flirting with his sister's lieutenant was scarce, so the daughter of Zeus was thankful for this much. However, each time he leaned over in an attempt to woo her, she would make a long-winded observation about the competition, noting something like, "Wow, Phoebe has really amazing form. Don't you agree? I think the mistake some of the other girls are making a lot is that they're not very purposeful with their posture. Then again, you can't really blame some of the newer girls. They haven't had sufficient time to catch on, y'know? But wow, that shot was really graceful. So precise, too." Eventually, Apollo would lose all hope of sliding a word in edgewise, turning his attention back to the game instead.

Artemis was patrolling the grounds, assuring that proper sportsmanship was being applied by each individual. Though she would know immediately if someone was not abiding by the rules, she figured that she needed something to distract her from the fact that her brother was most likely drooling over the maiden huntress that she'd foolishly allowed him to be alone with, but she trusted Thalia to take care of herself – she'd never met a more headstrong, determined demigod.

When the first round ended, the victors paraded happily away from the set-up, while the less fortunate girls trudged after them. Thalia, noticing that the clump of competitors was much smaller now that half the girls had been eliminated, leapt from the tree branch where she was perched alongside Apollo and bounded after Artemis, hopeful that this meant the goddess would now have more time to pay attention to her lieutenant's misfortunate. Apollo, confused by Thalia's display of enthusiasm, followed shortly.

Artemis gracefully topped a tree stump with a generous circumference, the others forming a circle around her. She cleared her throat, preparing to speak. "I am aware that Apollo mentioned earlier that he had something of his own in mind for the second round of the competition, and while I do not know what exactly that might be, I am fairly certain that it is...well, stupid." The huntresses giggled at the sound of such a casual insult rolling off their leader's tongue; Apollo pouted. "I will tell you what I had originally planned, instead."

"Wait a sec, Arty, hold up!" Apollo interrupted, shoving through the crowd of girls to join her on the stump. "My idea is _superb_, as a matter of fact. I think I should most definitely be the one to make the rules and organize the competition; I mean, I'm the god of archery, right? And I taught you everything you know!"

"Wait," Veronica murmured, "Lord _Apollo_ taught Lady _Artemis _archery?" The others tensed, knowing this topic was a dangerous fuel to Artemis' anger; however, the goddess turned her glare not on the new recruit, but, unsurprisingly, on her brother.

"Just because you practiced archery before I did does not mean you are still more knowledgeable than me!" she snapped. "In fact, I could easily challenge your title as the 'god of archery' and win dominion over it; the counsel would be unanimous."

Apollo rolled his eyes. "Oh, puh-_lease_," he drawled. "You're decent at archery when it comes to hunting or whatever, but in competitions like this one, I'd kick your hide."

Artemis reddened furiously. "Do not instigate anything with me, brother! Today is for the _girls_!"

"Oh, yeah, you're right, sis," Apollo agreed, turning back to Veronica, still timid and confused. "Veronica, you should've _seen_ Artemis when I was teaching her! We were only, like, three. She was just _precious._ Like, her bow was twice her size! And on her very first attempt at shooting something, the arrow planted in the ground right in front of her and she cried."

"Apollo!" Artemis hissed, more irritated than embarrassed.

"She was a handful then, yeah, but I was more than willing to help," the sun god continued without regard for his sister's temper. "I mean, she needed a teacher, and who better to learn from than the expert, am I right? Besides, I was her big brother - "

"I was born before you!" Artemis growled, smacking him upside the head.

The twins continued with their usual bickering, and Thalia pinched bridge of her nose, sighing with frustration.

"I...guess I shouldn't have asked?" Veronica worried guiltily.

"Don't feel bad," Thalia reassured her. She turned to glare at the twins. "They would have found their own way here, anyway."

* * *

"Typical," Phoebe deadpanned. The girls were slouched over on the ground, not bothering to so much as feign amusement with the twins' arrangement. Apollo had angrily declared that if Artemis really thought she had grown more talented than he at the art of archery, then _they _should be the ones engaging in the competition. Artemis, overcome with rage, had agreed. Now they stood before the others, facing an array of targets and random obstacles. The set-up lacked any form of organization; the gods would take it as it came.

Apollo flexed, more for the audience than for preparation. "Be very afraid, Artemis. I'm about to remind you where you stand."

Artemis snorted. "I've never feared you and I especially don't fear you now, you raging fool. Please, take your turn."

"I don't know, Arty. Maybe we should save the best for last. I wouldn't want to embarrass you in front of your girlfriends."

Artemis urged him onward with the tip of an arrow in his lower back. "_Go._"

Apollo smirked, swaggering to the starting place. "If you're sure, sis," he teased, removing his sunglasses. Ignoring the irksome term of endearment, Artemis folded her arms across her chest and impatiently anticipated the beginning of the display of his supposed talent.

"Whenever you're ready," she said crisply.

Taking a deep breath, Apollo steadied his bow and arrow and focused somewhere down the way, concentrating deeply. In a flash, a handful of arrows appeared in his hand, and he began oozing even more confidence than before. He took a few more seconds to mentally prepare himself before quickly releasing the volley of arrows. They took off in several different directions. Before they had even implanted themselves in their targets, he released another volley, also spreading out every which way. He did this a few more times – rapidly, instantaneously. The arrows slammed into several tree trunks and bull's-eyes, one right after another. When the plucking-and-thudding racket died down, Apollo paused, lowered his bow, and exhaled deeply. Then he turned, beaming with pride.

"Beat that."

The arrows had formed an image – one of a giant sun-shape, complete with outstretched, inviting rays of warmth. The huntresses, wide-eyed and astonished, turned to gauge Artemis' reaction. Apparently, the goddess had seen this show before.

"You cannot teach an old dog new tricks," she muttered, before taking her place at the line. "Unimpressed, brother. I thought you'd do much more to show out." Apollo's arrows disappeared from the targets, being replaced in his quiver.

"As if you can do better," he sneered. "I'd like to see you try."

"Is that not what I am about to do?" Artemis replied carelessly. She steadied her own bow, using one arrow in place of her brother's many.

"You're going to fail miserably, and in front of all of your huntresses, too," Apollo taunted. "Come on, baby sis: you know I love you, but this is ridiculous. You're challenging my place as the god of archery and your teacher. That's just foolish."

"Oftentimes," Artemis responded distractedly, "the student is the one who educates the instructor."

Apollo's scoff morphed into an astonished guffaw halfway through. "Okay, okay – you're right," he replied sarcastically. "You are a superb archer. In fact, I think I recall one shot that outdid all of mine...with a rather distant target, yes? Far out in the ocean?"

Artemis tensed. "Apollo..."

"It was such a graceful shot," he continued cruelly. "So much confidence. The arrow went sailing through the air and straight into the vulnerable torso of your unassuming lover. Poor Orion."

The huntresses froze, fearing their mistress' reaction. Artemis did not move or speak for a few moments; she kept her bow and arrow in position, pivoted slightly, and aimed directly at her smirking twin, whose stomach plummeted immediately upon realizing her intentions.

"Artemis," he breathed, mentally kicking himself for the hateful words spurred by his dangerously competitive nature. The silence that hung between them was pregnant; the tension in the air was palpable. "Artemis," he repeated quietly a few seconds later, "I'm so sorry."

Artemis' gaze was stony; she seemed not to respond to or even recognize his fragile attempt at an apology. She remained completely, eerily fixated on something behind him. Then, without warning, the arrow sailed from her grip and straight into the front left tire of his beloved sports car. The sun god wailed.

"There," Artemis muttered emotionlessly, "since you love your car more than any living thing you have ever known." Without another word, she retreated into her tent.

Thalia rose gingerly from her spot on the ground. Disregarding any fear of or reverence for the uncontained, unsuppressed power of the immortals, she approached the frantic sun god and uttered, "Too far, you ignorant asshat."

Apollo clenched his jaw at the insult, standing immediately. "Where do you get off talking to me like that? Why do you _always think _you can talk to _me _that way?"

Thalia didn't flinch as she neared him, glaring up at him with icy eyes. "Because I'm no longer scared of you, Phoebus Apollo," she spat. "I know the power you have over me and I accept it, but I'm not scared. I, like all of these other girls, pledged my loyalty to your sister. I not only gave her my word, I accepted her invitation to be her second-in-command, her right hand, her confidant. It is my duty to her to go down fighting for her, like the honorable Zoe Nightshade did in the past. I would fight anyone for her," she paused, stepping closer for emphasis, "even you." Apollo narrowed his eyes as she continued staring at him, entirely unaffected. "So go ahead. Incinerate me. See if I give a fuck. I'm not going to let you treat your own sister that way and walk away unscathed. I hope these words are sinking into you like a rusty dagger. I hope it hurts." She flashed one last warning glance at her comrades – _Stay out of his way, I'm not sure what his next actions will be _– then left to console Artemis.

Apollo stood frozen in place, watching her leave. For a few moments, he remained in sheer silence, rolling the bitter aftertaste of his conversation with Thalia around on his tongue. After a long while, he turned sternly towards the terrified huntresses. "Go to your tents." A command. The other girls, not as accepting of Apollo's wrath as Thalia was, obediently scurried away, leaving Apollo by himself. He silently sunk into the driver's seat of his chariot, figuring he'd be better off waiting for Thalia or Artemis to return than he would invading their privacy.

* * *

Night came. He didn't leave – nor did he eat, sleep, or move. His breathing was heavy but even. The silence that surrounded him was not lulling, but discomforting.

Finally, someone stirred. Apollo glanced up to see a small form exiting Artemis' tent, the silhouette shuffling against the dim light from inside. It was none other than the goddess herself, standing frozen against the moonlight, not daring to draw nearer.

"Why have you not left?" she demanded firmly.

Apollo's fingers clenched around the steering wheel. "I have unfinished business here," he answered slowly.

Artemis did not respond. Apollo exited the car with a soft sigh, wondering how long it would take to patch this up; wondering if it would ever be okay again.

He rung his hands anxiously, carefully approaching his sister. She did not retreat. "I...I'm really sorry, Artemis," he announced. "You deserve a better brother." He lowered his eyes.

Artemis shifted her weight awkwardly. "This is not so," she said finally. "You excel at being a brother. Obnoxious, rude, cruel...everything." Apollo flinched, and only because he knew she spoke the truth. Artemis sighed deeply. "But I love you regardless."

Apollo gnawed at his lip, not prepared to face her again. He laced and unlaced his fingers, fidgeting until he could find the words to say. "I know," he replied gently. "You shouldn't, but you do. And I love you too."

"That is what unconditional love is about," Artemis responded gingerly. Finally, she giggled. Apollo's head snapped up in shock. She smiled weakly at him. "We are like children."

Apollo laughed too. A more apt statement had never been spoken by a goddess who assumed the form of a preteen girl and lead a group of Lost Girls through the wilderness. Artemis was like a stricter, more powerful Peter Pan – only female; he couldn't forget the female part. That was crucial.

"We are like children," he agreed mirthfully. When he finally sobered a moment later, he added, "But me, more so. I incessantly drop by uninvited and irk you. I flirt with your huntresses and pick fights and...I don't know. I just want to be your brother."

Artemis half-smiled. "But you are my brother. And that is why you do those things."

Apollo shrugged. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess. I love you, Arty."

"I love you too, Apollo," she murmured. "I'll be going to bed now."

"Alright, night," he called after her. "And...sorry. Sorry, again."

"Apology accepted." As Artemis disappeared into the folds of her tent, Apollo noticed a figure he hadn't seen before leaning against a tree with a satisfied smile.

"Thalia Grace," he acknowledged with a half-hearted grin. The demigoddess took this as an invitation to approach him.

"Not too shabby," she complimented, regarding the interaction between he and his twin sister. "Looks like you two've got everything worked out, huh?"

"For whatever reason," he confirmed, still smiling. "Thanks...thanks for motivating me. Sometimes an all-powerful god needs a little girl like you to get their ass in gear."

Thalia shrugged mock-arrogantly. "What can I say?" She paused to observe him. "You know something, Lord Apollo? You're not all bad."

Apollo's grin turned seductive. "So, does that mean you - "

"No."

"So you wouldn't want to - "

"No." Thalia stopped, chuckling at his antics. "Gods. Go home, Apollo." She turned and headed for her own tent without awaiting his reply.

"Right. Okay," he said, mostly to himself. He danced giddily back over to his chariot, where the injured wheel had been mended by magic. He patted it affectionately, then turned to take in the sight of the campsite: targets and arrows littered the ground, and the huntresses of course had not bothered to reorganize their weapons and quivers. Apollo shook his head. "What a mess."

* * *

**End Note: ...I don't know what this is supposed to be. You guys like funny, right? And sappy too? So I uh, made a thing. A relatively long thing. Longer than the others, at least.**

**I was swooning over Apollo as I wrote this, is that like, bad? #Can'tTellMyBoyfriendI'mCrushingOnFictionalMen**

**So, if you like the healthy doses of Thapollo I applied generously to this chapter, you may or may not like the fact that I intend to author an individual Thapollo oneshot sometime soon! Yay! (Ilovethatfuckingpairingwow)**

**I'm sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes or a lapse in continuity. I admittedly got lazy.**

**Au revoir, babes.**

**~Chelsea**


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